IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


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r  m.  Ill  2.0 

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Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(M6)  872-4503 


V 


iV 


% 


V 


^^ 


^ 


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# 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  canadien  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


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D 


n 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
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I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagee 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
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Cover  title  missing/ 

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Wt  14X  18X  22X 


12X 


MM 


20X 


26X 


30X 


24X 


13 


28X 


32X 


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Archives  of  Canada 


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La  bibliothdque  des  Archives 
publiques  du  Canada 


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conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrnt  de 
filmage. 


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sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
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or  illustrated  impression. 


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d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  —^>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ♦-  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


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different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmds  6  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  gtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichift,  il  ett  film6  d  partir 
de  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  6  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

HISTORIC     HANDBOOK 


OF    TUB 


NORTHERN  TOUR. 


W  O  L  V  E. 

A(;i:u  82. 


lil8'i*ViaC    flAXDb  M)K 


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5r\s<:i^  r. IB  KM  AX. 


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IIISTOEIC    HANDBOOK 


OF    THE 


NORTHERN  TOUR. 


LAKES   GEORGE  AND  CHAMPLAIN;    NIAGARA; 
MONTREAL;   QUEBEC, 


BY 


FRANCIS    PARKMAN. 


BOSTON: 
LITTLE,  BROWN,   AND    COMPANY. 

1885. 


li. 


Copyright,  I8S5, 
By  Francis  Parkman. 


University  Press: 
John  Wilson  and  Son,  Cambridge. 


This  book  is  a  group  of  narratives  of  the  most  strik- 
ing events  of  our  colonial  history  conncctea  witli  the 
principal  points  of  interest  to  the  tourist  visiting  Canada 
and  the  northern  borders  of  the  tiiitcd  States. 

The  narratives  are  drawn,  wiih  the  addition  of  ex- 
planatory passages,  from  «  TI:.  Conspiracy  of  Pontiac," 
"  Pioneers  of  France  in  the  New  V\'  )rld,"  «  The  Jesuits 
in  North  America,"  «  Count  Frontenac,"  and  "  Mont- 
calm and  Wolfe." 


Boston,  1  April,  1885. 


It 


CONTENTS. 


LAKE   GEORGE  AND  LAKE  CHAMPLAIX. 

Discovery  of  Lake  Ciiamplain .     "^^  3 

Discovery  of  Lake  George 

Battle  ok  Lake  Georoe  .     .  '  i^ 

A  \\ixTER  Raid    .     . 

e  40 

biEGE  AXD  Massacre  of  Fort  William  Hexry     .      45 

Battle  op  Ticonderooa    . 

.    T  bo 

A  Legend  op  Ticoxderoga og 

NIAGARA. 
Siege  of  Fort  Niagara    ....... 

Massacre  of  the  Devil's  Hole '     "      ^^ 

MONTREAL. 

The  Birth  of  Moxtreal  .  -,n- 

lOt) 

QUEBEC. 

IXFAXCY    OF    QuEnEC .^ 

A  Military  :Mi,ssiox 100 

Massachusetts  Attacks  Quebec    .......     jo^ 

The  Heights  of  Abraham    .  .li 

•     ° loi 


in 


!i 


LAKE   GEORGE  AND   L^IKE  CIIAMPLALN, 


•mmmBBBm 


DISCOVERY  OF   LAKE   CIIAMPLAIN. 

T^IIKS  beautiful  lake  owes  its  luuue  to  Samuel  de 
Clianii)laiii,  the  founder  of  Quebec.  In  IGO'J,  lono- 
before  the  rilgrim  Fathers  landed  at  Plymouth,  he 
joined  a  band  of  Huron  and  Algonquin  warViors  on  an 
exi)edition  against  their  enemies,  the  lro(iuois,  since 
known  as  the  Five  Nations  of  New  Yoi'k.  While  grati- 
fying his  own  love  of  adventure,  he  expected  to  make 
important  geographical  discoveries. 

After  a  grand  war  dance  at  the  infant  settlement  of 
Quebec,  the  allies  set  out  together.  Champlain  was  hi 
a  boat,  carrying,  besides  himself,  eleven  men,  chief 
among  whom  were  one  Marais  and  a  pilot  named  La 
Routte,  all  armed  with  the  arquel)use,  a  species  of  fire- 
arm shorter  than  the  musket,  and  therefore  better  fitted 
for  the  w^oods. 

They   ascended   the   St.    Lawrence   and   entered    the 
Richelieu,  which  forms  the  outlet  of  Lake  Champlain 
Here,  to  Champlain's   great   disai)pointment,  he  found 
his  farther  progress  barred  by  tlic  rapids  at  Chamblv 
though  the  Indians  had  assured  him  that  his  boat  couid 
pass   all   the    way    unobstructed.      He   told   them   that 
though  they  had  deceived  him,  he  would   not  abandon 
them,  sent  Marais  with  the  boat  and  most  of  th(>  men 
hack  to  Quebec,  and,  with  two  who  offered  to  follow 
I'lm,  prepared  to  go  on  in  the  Indian  canoes. 


4 


LAKE  GEOKGE  AND  LAKE  CUAMPLAIN. 


I 


n 


The  warriurs  lifted  their  canoes  from  the  water,  and 
in  lung  procession  through  the  forest,  under  the  Ilickei- 
ing  sun  and  shade,  bore  them  on  their  shoulders  around 
the  rapids  to  the  smooth  stream  above.  Jlere  the  chiefs 
made  a  muster  of  tiieir  forces,  counting  twenty-four 
canoes  and  sixty  warriors.  All  endjarived  again,  and 
advanced  once  more,  by  marsh,  meadow,  foi'est,  {;nd 
scattered  islands,  then  full  of  game,  for  it  was  an  unin- 
habited land,  the  war-path  and  battle-ground  of  hostile 
tribes.  The  warriors  (observed  a  cei'tain  system  in  their 
advance.  Some  were  in  front  as  a  vanguard;  others 
formed  the  main  body;  while  an  e(iual  number  were  in 
the  forests  on  the  flanks  and  rear,  hunting  for  the  sub- 
sistence of  the  whole  ;  for,  tliough  they  had  a  provision 
of  parched  maize  pounded  into  meal,  they  kept  it  for  use 
when,  from  the  vicinity  of  the  enemy,  hunting  should 
become  im])Ossible. 

Still  the  canoes  advanced,  the  river  wi(  ening  as 
they  went,  (ili-eat  islands  appeai'cd,  leagues  in  extent : 
Isle  a  la  ^lotte,  Long  Island,  Grande  Jsle.  Channels 
where  ships  might  float  and  broad  reaches  of  expanding 
water  stretched  between  them,  and  Chami)liiiu  entered 
the  lake  which  preserves  his  name  to  posterity.  Cum 
bcrland  Ilend  was  passed,  and  from  the  opening  of  the 
great  channcd  between  Grande  Isle  and  the  main,  he 
could  look  forth  on  the  wilderness  sea.  Edged  with 
woods,  the  trancpiil  flood  sjjread  southward  beyond  the 
sight.  Far  op  the  left,  the  forest  ridges  of  the  Green 
Mountains  were  lieaved  against  the  sun,  patches  of  snow 
still  glistening  on  their  tops;  and  on  the  right  rose  the 
Adirondacks,  haunts  in  those  later  years  of  amateur 
sportsmen  from  counting-rooms  or  college  halh  nay, 
of  adventurous  beauty,  with  sketch-book  and  jjcncil. 
Then  the  Iroquois  made  them  their  hunting-ground  ;  and 


DISCOVERY    OF    LAKE    CIIAMPLAIN. 


5 


Ml,  he 
with 
id  the 
Green 
snow 
,c  the 
iiateur 
nay, 
Dcncil. 
;  and 


I 


beyond,  in  ilie  valleys  of  the  ^Mohawk,  the  Ononda<ra, 
and  the  (Jencsce,  stretched  the  1  mg  line  of  their  live 
cantons  and  palisaded  towns. 

The  progress  of  tiie  party  was  becoming  dangerous. 
Tlu'V  ehang(Hl  their  mode  of  advance,  and  moved  only 
in  the  night.  All  day,  they  lay  close  in  the  depth  of  the 
forest,  sleeping,  lounging,  smoking  tobacco  of  their  own 
raising,  and  beguiling  the  hours,  no  doubt,  with  the 
shallow  banter  and  obscene  jesting  with  which  knots  of 


Indi 


th 


1( 


At  twiliu-ht 


Indinns  ai-e  wont  to  amuse  their  leisure.  At  iwuigm 
they  embarked  again,  paddling  their  cautious  way  till 
the  eastern  sky  began  to  redden.  Their  goal  was  the 
rocky  ])r()niontory  where  Fort  Ticondcroga  was  long 
afterward  built.  Thence,  they  would  pass  the  outlet 
of  Tjake  (Jeorge,  and  launch  their  canoes  again  on  tluit 
Como  of  the  wilderness,  whose  waters,  linii)id  as  a 
fountain-head,  stretched  far  southward  between  their 
thinking  mountains.  Landing  at  the  future  site  of  Foi-t 
William  Henry,  they  would  carry  their  canoes  through 
the  forest  to  the  River  Hudson,  and  descending  it,  at- 
tack, i)erhaps,  some  outlying  town  of  the  ]\Iohawks.  In 
the  next  century  this  chain  of  Inkes  and  rivers  became 
the  grand  highway  of  savage  and  civilized  war,  a  l)loody 
debataldc  ground  linked  to  memories  of  momentous 
con  diets. 

The  allies  were  spared  so  long  a  progress.  On  the 
morning  of  the  twentv-ninth  of  Julv,  after  paddlina*  all 
night,  they  hid  as  usual  in  tlie  hn^st  on  the  western 
sliore,  not  far  from  Crown  Point.  The  warriors  stretched 
themselves  to  their  slumliers,  and  Chami)lain,  after 
walking  for  a  time  through  the  surrounding  woods,  re- 
turned to  take  his  repose  on  a  ])ile  of  spruce-boughs. 
Sleeping,  he  dreamed  a  dream,  wherein  he  beheld  the 
Iroquois  drowning  in  the  lake;  and,  essaying  to  rescue 


■iti 


If 


6 


LAKE  GEORGE  AND  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


tlicin,  lie  was  told  by  his  AlgoiKiuln  fi-ionds  that  they 
were  good  for  nothing  and  had  better  be  left  to  their 
fate.  Now,  he  hud  been  daily  beset,  on  awaivcning,  by 
his  superstitious  allies,  eager  to  learn  about  his  dreams; 
and,  to  this  moment,  his  unbroken  slumbers  had  failed 
to  furnish  the  desired  prognosties.  The  announcement 
of  this  auspicious  vision  filled  the  crowd  with  joy,  and 
at  nightfall  they  embarked,  flushed  with  anticii)ated 
victories. 

It  was  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening,  when  they  descried 
dark  objects  in  motion  on  the  lake  before  them.  These 
were  a  flotilla  of  Iroquois  canoes,  heavier  and  slower  than 
theirs,  for  thev  were  made  of  oak  or  elm  bark.  Each 
party  saw  the  other,  and  the  mingled  war-cries  pealed 
over  the  darkened  water.  The  Irocpiois,  who  were  near 
the  shore,  having  no  stomach  for  an  aquatic  battle, 
landed,  and,  making  night  hideous  with  their  clamors, 
began  to  b.Trricade  themselves.  Champlain  could  see 
them  in  the  woods,  laboring  like  beavers,  hacking  down 
trees  with  iron  axes  taken  from  the  Caiuulian  tribes 
in  war,  and  with  stone  hatchets  of  their  own  making. 
The  allies  remained  on  the  lake,  a  boAvshot  from  the 
hostile  barricade,  their  canoes  made  fast  together  by 
poles  lashed  across.  All  night,  they  danced  with  as 
much  vigor  as  the  frailty  of  their  vessels  would  permit, 
their  throats  making  amends  for  the  enforced  restraint 
of  their  limbs.  It  Avas  agreed  on  both  sides  that  the 
fight  should  be  deferred  till  daybreak  ;  but  meanwhile 
a  commerce  of  abuse,  sarcasm,  menace,  and  boasting 
gave  unceasing  exercise  to  the  lungs  and  fancy  of  the 
combatants,  —  "  much,"  says  Champlain,  "  like  the 
besiegers  and  besieged  in  a  beleaguered  town." 

As  day  approached,  he  and  his  two  followers  put 
on  the  light  armor  of  the  time.     Champlain  wore  the 


I 


I!: 


;-       if 

I— I       < 


DISCOVKKY    OF    LAKE    ClIAMI'LAIN. 


V;^ 


mi 


A. 'ill 


'/J 


1,1    -: 


doublet  nud  loiijjj  hose  then  in  voguo.  Over  the  doublet 
he  buckled  on  a  breastplate,  and  probably  u  back-pieet;, 
while  his  thiji'lis  were  jji-otected  by  cnin.sfs  of  steel,  and 
his  head  by  a  plumed  casciuc.  Across  his  shoulder  liun<!: 
the  strap  of  his  bandoleer,  or  annnunll ion-box  ;  at  liis 
side  was  bis  sword,  and  in  his  hand  his  arquebuse,  wliieli 
he  bad  loaded  wilh  four  balls.  Such  was  the  (M|uipni(!nt 
of  this  ancient  Indian-fiuhter,  whose  exploits  date  eleven 
years  before  the  landing  of  the  Puritans  at  IMynioutb, 
and  sixly-six  years  before  King  Pbilip's  War, 

Each  of  the  three  Frenchmen  was  in  a  separate  canoe, 
and,  as  it  grew  light,  they  ke])t  tliemselves  hidden, 
either  by  lying  at  t'ie  bottom,  or  covering  themselv<>s 
witii  an  Indian  robe.  The  canoes  a[))»roaelu>d  the  shore, 
and  all  landed  without  opposition  at  some  distance  from 
the  lro(|uois,  whom  they  presently  could  see  filing  out  of 
their  barricade,  tall,  strong  men,  some  two  hundi'ed  in 
number,  of  the  boldest  and  fiercest  warri(U-s  of  North 
America.  They  advanced  through  the  forest  with  a 
steadiness  which  excited  the  admiration  of  Chamitlain. 
Among  them  could  be  seen  several  chiefs,  made  con- 
spicuous by  their  tall  })lumes.  ?ome  bore  shields  of  wood 
and  hide,  and  some  "were  covered  with  a  kind  of  armor 
made  of  tough  twigs  interlaced  with  a  vegetable  iibre 
snp))osed  by  Chamjdain  to  be  cotton. 

The  allies,  growing  anxious,  called  witli  loud  cries 
for  their  champion,  and  opened  their  ranks  that  he 
might  pass  to  the  front.  He  did  so,  and,  advancing 
before  his  red  companions-in-arms,  stood  revealed  to 
the  astonished  gaze  of  the  Iroquois,  who,  beholding  the 
warlike  apparition  in  their  path,  stared  in  mute  amaze- 
ment. But  his  arquebuse  was  levelled ;  the  report 
startled  the  woods,  a  chief  fell  dead,  and  another  by 
his  side  rolled  among  the   bushes.     Then  there   rose 


8 


LAKE    r.EOnOK    ANT)    LAKE    rilAMI'LAlN. 


II 


from  tlu'  iillios  a  yell,  wluch,  says  (1iaini»lain,  would 
Iiave  drowned  a  Uiiiiidcr-cdaj),  and  tlio  fori  st  was  lull  of 
whizzini;  arrows.  For  a  moment,  tlu;  Inxjuois  stood 
firm  and  sent  htuk  Ihelr  arrows  luslily;  bnt  when  mi- 
otlier  and  iuiotlier  gunsli(>t  came  from  the  thiekets  on 
Iheir  (liink,  Ihey  broke  and  fled  in  unconlrollahh;  terror. 
Swifter  (lum  hounds,  the  allies  tore  throUL^h  the  bushes 
in  piMsuit.  Some  of  the  Inxiuois  were  killed;  more 
were  itiken.  (.^imp,  canoes,  ])rovisious,  all  v.cre  aban- 
doned, and  many  weapons  fhrnj;'  down  in  (he  panic 
flight.  The  aivpiebuse  had  done  its  work.  The  vic- 
tory was  ('omi)lete. 

The  victors  made  a  pi-onipt  retreat  fi-om  the  scene  of 
their  triumjih.  Three  or  four  days  brought  them  to 
the  mouth  of  Ihe  Richelieu.  Here  they  separated;  the 
lluroiis  and  Algonquins  mad(>  for  the  Ottawa,  their 
homeward  route,  each  with  a  share  of  jtrisoners  for 
future  torments.  At  ])arting  they  invited  (!iiamplain 
to  visit  their  towns  and  aid  them  again  in  their  wars, 
—  an  invitation  which  this  j)aladin  of  the  woods  failed 
not  to  accc])t. 

Thus  did  New  France  rush  into  collision  with  the 
redoubted  warriors  of  the  Five  Nations.  Here  was  the 
beginning,  in  some  measure  doubtless  the  cause,  of  a 
long  suite  of  murderous  conflicts,  bearing  havoc  and 
tlamc  to  generations  yet  unborn.  Cham})lain  had  in- 
vaded the  tiger's  den ;  and  now,  in  smoihered  fury,  the 
patient  savage  would  lie  biding  his  day  of  blood. 


DISCOVERY   OF    LAKE   (iEOIlOIi 


<:, 


TT  wns  <liii-h-11ii-('o  years  siiinc  Cliamplain  liad  first 
■*■  attarkod  tlio  Inxiiicis.  Tlicy  liad  nursed  their  umth 
for  more  llian  a  n(.,H.rati(m,  and  at  lenii'tli  (1,,'ir  hour 
was  coni.>.  'J'li,.  \)uivh  traders  at  Fort  Orai.nv.  now 
Al])any,  had  suf.plied  them  with  firearms.  Tli(>  Mo- 
hawks, the  most  easterly  of 't]i(>  Ji-.xpu.is  nations,  had, 
anion.ir  tlieir  seven  or  ei-lit  hundred  warriors,  no  h-ss 
.  .11  three  hundred  armed  Avitli  the  aniuehuse.  Tlujy 
were  masters  of  flie  thunderbolts  wJiicli,  in  the  liands  of 
riiamplaln,  liad  struck  terror  into  tlieir  hearts. 

In  the  early  mornino-  of  the  second  of  Auirust,  10-12 
twelve    Huron    canoes  were  movin,":   slowly  alonir  the 
northern  shore  of  the  expansion  of  the  i<t.  LawTcncc 
known  as  the  Lake  of  St.  Peter.     There  were  on  hoard 
about  forty  persons,  ineludin.tr  fo„r  Frenchmen,  one  of 
thembein.cr  the   Jesuit,  Isaac  Jonues.     DuriiK^  the  Inst 
autumn  he,  with  Father  Charles  Raymbanlt,  Imd  i)assed 
alonu:  the  shore  of  Lake  Huron  northward,  entered  the 
sfrait  Ihrou-])  wliicli   Lake   Superior  discharires  itself 
pushed  on  as  far  as  the  Sault  Sainte  .Afarie,  and  preached 
the  Faith  to  two  thousand   Ojibwas,  and  ofher  Al-on- 
qnins  there  assembled,     ffe  was  now  on  his  return  from 
a  far  more  ])erilous  errand.     The   Huron  mission  was 
in  a  stat(^  of  destitution.     There  was  need  of  clothinn- 
for  the  priests,  of  vessels  for  the  altars,  of  bread   and 
wmc  for  the  eucharist,  of  writin-  materials,  -  in  short 


10 


I,AK1',    (JKOIJc;!',    ANI»    I.AKi:    (11  A  M  I'l-AI  N. 


1 


i»r  rvorvlhiiiu" ;  iunl,  ciiily  in  (lie  snmiiicr  of  (lie  jirrsnil 
yciir,  .lo^Mcs  liad  tlc'srrnilcd  (o  'riiirc  I{i\(M's  ;iii(|  (^Miclicc 
Nvilli  tli<>  Ihnttii  I  liiilns,  li»  |)Vi)ciir(>  (lie  ikm-cssmiv  hii|)- 
plics.  II(>  li:i(l  iit'*'oiii|>lisIu'«l  liis  tusk,  inul  wjis  on  liis 
\v;i\  li;n'k  It)  (lie  iiiissioii.  N\  illi  liiin  were  w  leu  Huron 
conxtMls.  ;iM<l  Miuonu"  (licni  m  moIimI  Cliiisl  iiiii  cliicr,  Miim- 
liU'Iic  Ahiilsislni'i.  OMkms  dl"  (lie  |>:irly  were  in  ('(ihi'hc 
(»!'  ills!  riH'luMi  lor  lt;i|i(isiu:  Imt  llic  LTcnlrr  |i:irl  were 
lu^alliiMi,  w  !ios(>  «';ino<"s  wnr  dcrply  IjhIcii  wiih  llic  pfo- 
cvv{\^  iA'  llirii-  Icu'lijuns  willi  lln>  l«'it>nrli  rui-lf;Hlri  s. 

•loU'Mcs  sal  in  our  <»!  Ilir  Icadiiiii;  cantics.  Mr  was 
iwvn  a1  Orleans  in  1<'»<I7,  and  was  (liiily  live  years  ol" 
ni!,(V  His  o\  al  lace  and  lli(>  delicale  jmrnld  of  liis  Icat- 
ures  indicated  a  modest,  tlionuldlnl,  and  relined  nalnre. 
lie  w  as  eonstitutionally  timid,  with  a  sensil  i\e  conscience 
and  ureal  reliiiions  snsoept iltilit ies.  Il(>  was  a  linislied 
seludar,  and  luiulit  have  uaiued  a  lilei'ary  repntation  ; 
hut  ]\o  had  idioseu  another  eaiMMT.  and  on(>  I'oi"  wliich  he 
sciMned  hut  ill  litled.  iMiysieally,  how(>vei',  he  was  well 
nialcluMl  witli  his  work  :  lor,  thonuh  his  frame  was  slight, 
ho  w;is  so  acii\(\  that  uon(>  of  the  Indians  could  siir|)ass 
him  in  running. 

With  him  W(>re  two  yonn'j;  m(M\,  Kent'  (loujiil  and 
Ouillanme  (.\)ntm\\,  (A';<;jf>'  of  tln^  mission,  —  that  is  to 
say,  laymei\  who.  from  a  ndigioi'.s  motive  and  witjiont 
pay.  had  attaclu>d  themselvi^s  to  th(>  siM'vice  of  the 
Jesuit s,  rion|>il  had  formerly  entered  n|)on  the  .lesnit 
novitiate  at  Talis,  hut  failing  IkmIiIi  had  ohliuvd  him  to 
leave  it.  As  soon  as  ho  was  ahlo,  he  eanu^  to  (^uiadn, 
olTcred  his  sorvioes  to  the  Superior  of  tht>  mission,  was 
onij)loyeil  for  a  time  in  the  Innnhlost  oIVum^s,  and  after- 
wards hcoamo  an  attendant  at  the  hos))ital.  At  longlli, 
to  his  delight,  ho  roooived  jiormission  to  go  np  to  the 
llurons,  whore  tlio  surgical  skill  which  ho  had  acquired 


^f 


DISC'OVKKV    <>l"    I-AKi;    (iKOIKH;. 


11 


\v!iH  /i;?T:ill,v  rif'cilcil  ;  jmd  lie  \v;is  now  dii  lii-^  u;iy  lliitlior. 
IIJM  (.'olll|iMllii)|i,  < 'olll  lire,  Wiis  ii  liiilll  ol  ililcHiLj'i'lK'c  iiixl 
vip,(»r,  ;iiiil  '»l  ii,  clinraflcr  ((iimlly  disiutcirsliil.  Ilolli 
were,  lik<'  .loii'ins,  in  IIm-  IoicmkisI  cinnM's  ;  \.iiili'  llu; 
loiiiili  l*'r(  iii'liiiiiiii  w:iN  uilii  llir  iin('iiii\(  rh'd    lliirnns,  in 

TIlC    l\V(I\C   CMIKH'S   lljul    IT.'IcIkmI    tln'    \V<'s(<in    (  ll'l    ol'   lll(! 

liiikc  of  Si.  rdcr,  wlicrc  il  is  llllcil  wiMi  iiiiiiiniiiiil»I<; 
isliinds.  TIh'  lurcsl,  \v;is  close  on  IIm  ir  ri^lil,  llicy  k<|it, 
ni';ii-  Jlic  shore  lo  !i\oi(!  llie  ciiirenl,  jinil  llie  sliiiMow 
wilier  lielore  IImiu  was  ecncied  willi  a  dense  <ji()wfli  of 
tall  hnlnislies.  Suddenly  llie,  silence  was  frii:lil  fully 
Idoken.  The  war-wliooji  rose  fioni  ainoiiL!;  the  nislicH, 
niiiii!'le<l  willi  (he  i«'|»oi1h  of  ^nins  and  Hk!  whisllinL^  of 
liiillels  ;  and  several  I  ro(|  in  »is  canoes.  Ii  lied  u  ilh  w  ariiois, 
)iuslied  oiil  from  (heir  conee;ilineii( ,  ;iiid  hoi'c  down  ii|(ori 
.Ioj;iies  and  his  eoni|ianions.  'I'he  lliirons  in  (he  rear 
w(M'c  seized  willi  a,  shameful  panic.  The)  Iciipcd  !i-,|iore  ; 
left  canoes,  ha'jiiaL''e,  and  weapons;  and  (Nd  iiilo  (he 
woods.  The  I'Veneh  and  Ihe  Chrislian  Ilnrons  made 
(i,L>'nl-  for  a,  (inie;  hu(  when  (hey  saw  anolher  Heel  of 
canoes  approaehin^  \'yi)\\]  the  op]io.sile  shores  or  inlands, 
tlicy  losi  heai(,an(l  lliosc  escaped  wlio  couhl.  ^Joiipil 
was  soi/('(l  amid  trininphant  ylls,  as  were  also  s<;vr'ra! 
of  Iho  llnron  conveils.  Jo^iies  sfd'anL''  info  the  hijl- 
nishcs,  and  niiuhi  liave  escjiped  ;  hut  when  Ik;  saw 
(Joiipil  and  the  neophytes  in  the  clulcdies  of  (he  Iroquois, 
lie  had  no  liciiii  to  ahandon  them,  hut  canio  out  from 
liis  hidinu-place,  and  pive  himself  up  to  the  astonishr-d 
victors.  A  few  of  lliem  had  remained  to  e-uard  the 
fu'isonci's  ;  the  rest  wei"c  cliasin^'' the  fii^dtives.  Jolhics 
mastered  his  a,ii:ony,  and  hcLMii  to  haptiz(;  those  of  the 
captive  converts  who  needed  hajitism. 

Couture  had  eluded  pursuit ;  but  when  he  thought  of 


-■     i 


K!  - 


12 


L.VKE    GEORGE    AXD    LAKE    CIIAMPL.UN. 


Jogues  and  of  what  perhaps  awaited  him,  he  resolved  to 
share  his  fate,  and,  turnin«:]f,  retraeed  his  steps.  As  ho 
aj)pronched,  five  Iroquois  ran  forward  to  meet  him  ;  and 
one  of  them  snaj)i)ed  his  gun  at  liis  breast,  but  it  missed 
fire.  In  his  confusion  and  excitement,  Couture  fired  his 
own  piece,  and  hud  llie  savage  de;id.  The  remaining 
four  sprang  ujton  him,  stripped  off  all  his  chjthing,  tore 
away  his  ilnger-nails  vrith  their  teetli,  gnawed  his  fin- 
gers with  the  fury  of  famislied  dogs,  and  thrust  a  sword 
througli  one  of  his  hands.  Jogues  l^rolvc  from  his  guards, 
and,  rusliiug  to  his  friend,  threw  his  arms  about  his 
neck.  The  Iroquois  dragged  him  away,  beat  him  with 
their  fists  nnd  war-chibs  till  he  was  Fcnseless,  and,  when 
he  revived,  lacerated  his  fingers  with  their  teeth,  as  they 
had  done  those  of  Couture.  Then  they  turned  upon 
Gou})il,  and  treated  him  with  the  same  feroi'ily.  The 
Huron  prisoners  were  left  for  the  present  unliarmed. 
More  of  them  were  brought  in  every  niomeut,  till  at 
length  the  number  of  captives  amounted  in  all  to  twenty- 
two,  while  three  ITunms  had  been  killed  in  the  fight 
and  pursuit.  The  Iroquois,  about  seventy  in  number, 
now  embarked  with  their  ]irey  ;  but  not  until  they  had 
knocked  on  the  head  an  old  Ilui'on,  whom  .Jogues,  with 
his  mangled  hands,  had  just  ba))tized,  and  who  refused 
to  leave  the  place.  Then,  under  a  burning  sun,  they 
crossed  to  the  spot  on  which  the  town  of  Soi'cl  now 
stands,  at  the  mouth  of  the  River  Richelieu,  where  they 
encamped. 

Their  course  was  southward,  up  the  River  Richelieu 
and  Lake  Champlain ;  thence,  by  way  of  Lake  George, 
to  the  ^[ohawk  towns.  The  pain  and  fever  of  their 
wounds,  and  the  clouds  of  mosquitoes,  which  they  could 
not  drive  off,  left  the  pi'isoners  no  ])eacc  by  day  nor 
sleep  by  night.     On  the  eighth  day,  they  learned  that  a 


DISCOVERY    OF    LAKE    GEORGE. 


13 


large  Iroquois  war-party,  on  their  way  to  Cauatla,  were 
near  at  hand  ;  and  they  soon  ai)proachcd  their  cam}),  on 
a  small  island  near  the  southern  end  of  Lake  Chaniplain. 
The  warriors,  two  luuidred  in  number,  saluted  their  vic- 
torious countrymen  with  volleys  from  their  guns  ;  then, 
armed  with  chibs  and  thorny  sticks,  rangi^d  themselves 
in  two  Unes,  between  which  the  cai)tives  were  compelled 
to  pass  up  the  side  of  a  rocky  hill.  On  the  way,  they 
were  beaten  with  such  fury,  that  Jogues,  who  was  last 
iji  the  line,  fell  powerless,  drenched  in  blood  and  half 
dead.  As  the  chief  man  among  the  French  captives,  ho 
fared  the  worst.  Ilis  hands  were  again  mangled,  and 
fire  applied  to  his  body  ;  while  the  Huron  chief,  Eustache, 
was  subjected  to  tortures  even  more  atrocious.  When, 
at  nldd.  the  exhausted  sufferers  tried  to  rest,  the  voun<>: 

1  '  %/  CD 

warriors  came  to  lacerate  tlieir  wounds  and  pull  out 
their  h;iir  and  beards. 

In  the  morning  thev  resumed  their  iournev.  And 
now  the  lake  narrowed  to  the  sem[)lance  of  a  tranijuil 
river.  Before  them  was  a  woody  mountain,  close  on 
their  right  a  rocky  promontory,  and  between  these  flowed 
a  stream,  the  outlet  of  Lake  George.  On  those  rocks, 
more  than  a  hundred  y(>ars  after,  rose  the;  ramparts  of 
Ticondero:2:a.  Thev  landed,  shouldered  their  canoes  and 
baggage,  took  their  way  through  the  woods,  passed  the 
S])ot  where  the  fierce  Highlanders  and  the  dauntless 
regiments  of  England  breasted  in  vain  the  storm  of 
lead  find  fire,  and  soon  reached  the  shore  where  Aber- 
cromliie  landed  and  Lord  Howe  fell.  First  of  white 
men,  Jogues  and  his  companions  gazed  on  the  romantic 
lake  that  bears  the  name,  not  of  its  gentle  discoverer, 
but  of  the  dull  Hanoverian  king.  Like  a  fair  Naiad  of 
the  wilderness,  it  slumbered  between  the  guardian  moun- 
tains that  breathe  from  crag  and  forest  the  stern  poetry 


i 


1  ■ 


14 


LAKE  GEORGE  AND  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


of  war.  But  all  then  was  solitude  ;  and  the  clang  of 
trumpets,  the  roar  of  cannon,  and  the  deadly  crack  of 
the  rifle  had  never  as  yet  awakened  their  angry  echoes.' 

Again  the  canoes  were  launched,  find  the. wild  flotilla 
glided  on  its  way,  —  now  in  the  shadow  of  the  heights, 
now  on  the  broad  expanse,  now  among  the  devious  chan- 
nels of  the  narrows,  beset. with  woody  islets,  where  the 
hot  air  was  redolent  of  the  pine,  the  spruce,  and  the 
cedar, — till  they  neared  that  tragic  shore,  where,  in 
the  following  century.  New  England  rustics  baffled  the 
soldiers  of  Dieskau,  where  Montcalm  ])l:uitcd  his  bat- 
teries, Avhcre  the  red  cross  waved  so  long  amid  the 
smoke,  and  where  at  length  the  summer  morning  was 
hideous  with  carnage,  and  an  honored  name  was  stained 
with  a  memory  of  blood. 

The  Iroquois  landed  at  or  near  the  future  site  of  Fort 
William  Henry,  left  their  canoes,  and,  with  their  ])rison- 
ers,  began  their  march  for  the  nearest  ]\Ioha\vk  t{nvn. 
Each  bore  his  share  of  the  plunder.  Even  Jogues, 
though  his  lacerated  hands  were  in  a  frightful  condition 
and  his  body  covered  with  bruises,  was  forced  to  stagger 
on  with  the  rest  under  a  heavy  load.  He  with  his 
fellow-prisoners,  and  indeed  the  whole  party,  were  half 


I  : 


!  t 


'  Lake  Goorpc,  according  to  Jogiics.  was  called  hy  tlic  ^Foliawks 
"  Andiatarocte,"  or  Place  where  the  f.dle  closes.  "  Aiidintaraqiic  "  is 
f()\in(l  on  a  map  of  Sanson.  Spofford,  Gazetteer  of  New  York,  article 
"  Lake  George,"  says  that  it  was  called  "  Canideri-oit."  or  Tail  of  the 
hike.  Father  Martin,  in  his  notes  on  Bressani,  prefixes  to  this  name 
that  of  "  Iloricon,"  but  gives  no  original  authority. 

I  liave  seen  an  old  Latin  map  on  whicli  the  name  "  ITori(!oni "  is  set 
down  as  belonging  to  a  neighboring  tribe.  This  seems  to  be  only  a 
misprint  for  "  Iloricoui,"  that  is,  "Irocoui,"  or  "Iroquois."  In  an  old 
English  map,  prefixed  to  the  rare  tract,  A  Treatise  of  New  Enrjland,  the 
"  Lake  of  Ilierocoyes  "  is  laid  down.  The  name  "  Iloricon,"  as  used  by 
Cooper  in  his  fxist  of  the  j}fohi<an!i,  has  no  sufficient  historical  foundation. 
In  1646,  the  lake,  as  we  shall  see,  was  named  "  Lac  St.  Sacroment." 


3 


DISCOVERY    OF   LAKE    GEORGE. 


15 


starved,  subsisting  chiefly  on  wild  berrios.  They  crossed 
the  upper  Hudson,  and,  in  thirteen  days  after  leaving 
the  8t.  Lawrence,  neared  the  wretched  goal  of  tlieir  pil- 
gi-iniage,  a  palisaded  town,  standing  on  a  hill  by  the 
banks  of  the  River  Mohawk. 

Such  was  the  (irst  recorded  visit  of  wliite  men  to  Lake 
George.     In  the  Iroquois  villages  Jogues  was  subjected 
to   the   most   frightful    sufferings,     llis   friend    (jloupil 
was  murdered  at  liis  side,  and  he  himself  was  saved  as 
by  miracle.     At  length,  with  the  lielj)  of  the  Dutch  of 
Albany,  he  made   his   escape  and   sailed   for   France; 
whence,  impelled  by  religious  enthusiasm,  lie  returned 
to  Canada  and  voluntarily  set  out  again  for  the  Ii-oquoia 
towns,  bent  on  saving  the  souls  of  those  who  had  been 
the  authoi-s  of  his  woes.     Reaching  the  head  of  Lake 
George  on  Cori)us  Christi  Day,   1G40,  he   gave  it   the 
name   of   Lac   8t.    Sacrement,    by   which   it   was   ever 
after  known  to  the  French.     Soon  after  his  arrival  the 
Iroquois  killed  him  by  the  blow  of  a  hatchet. 


L'l     I 


BATTLE  OF  LAKE   GEORGE. 


Ri     y 


Hi      !' 


I'  K 


"POR  more  than  a  century  after  the  death  of  Jogues, 
-*•  Lakes  George  and  Champlain  were  the  great  i-oute 
of  war  parties  between  Canada  and  the  British  Colonies. 
Courcelles  came  this  way  in  16GG  to  lay  waste  tlie  Mo- 
hawk towns;  and  Mantet  and  Sainte-IIelciie,  in  1690, 
to  destroy  Schenectady  in  the  dead  of  winter  ;  while, 
in  the  next  year,  Major  Schuyler  took  the  same  course 
as  he  advanced  into  Canada  to  retort  the  blow.  When- 
ever there  was  war  between  France  and  England,  these 
two  lakes  became  the  scene  of  partisan  conflicts,  in 
which  the  red  men  took  part  with  the  white,  some  as 
allies  of  the  English,  and  some  as  allies  of  the  French. 
When  at  length  the  final  contest  took  place  for  the  pos- 
session of  the  continent,  the  rival  nations  fiercely  dis- 
puted tlu)  nuistery  of  this  great  wilderness  thoroughfare, 
and  the  borders  of  Lake  George  became  the  scene  of 
noteworthv  confiicts.  The  first  of  these  was  in  1755, 
the  year  of  Braddoclc's  defeat,  wlien  Shirley,  governor  of 
Massachusetts,  set  on  foot  an  expedition  for  the  capture 
of  Crown  Point,  a  fort  whicli  the  French  had  built  on 
Lake  C^iamplain  more  than  twenty  years  before. 

In  January,  Shirley  had  proposed  an  attack  on  it  to 
the  Ministry  ;  and  in  February,  without  waiting  their 
reply,  he  laid  the  plan  before  his  Assembly.  They  ac- 
cepted it,  and  voted  money  for  the  pay  and  maintenance 
of  twelve  hundred  men,  provided  the  adjacent  colonies 


*!! 


'% 


of  Jogiiea, 
?roat  i-oute 
1  Colonies. 
0  the  Mo- 
,  in  1690, 
^i' ;  wliile, 
me  course 
^     AVhen- 
and, these 
nflicts,  in 
,  sonic  as 
c  French. 
r  the  pos- 
!i'celj  dis- 
ouglifure, 
scene  of 
in  1755, 
vernor  of 
e  caj)ture 
built  on 

on  it  to 
ng  their 
They  ac- 
itenance 

colonies 


THE  REGION  OF 


tiiini   Mirvi'vs  iiihUp  ii 

i7(;2 


ii iUH I 


K(iit\Villmmll.-n 


■n  fv  ^ 


i  • 


■I  I 

li  I 

Si  r 

9  t 


I 


I     *; 


ll..'! 


i  II 


BATTLE    OF    LAKE    GEORGE. 


IT 


v.-«)iilcl    contribute    in    due    j)r(){>ortlon.       Maj^sacliusetts 
showed  a  military  activity  worthy  of  the  reputation,  she 
luid  won.    Forty-live  hundred  of  her  men,  or  one  in  eiglit 
of  lier  adult  males,  volunteered  to  light  the  French,  and 
eidisted  i'or  the  various  expeditions,  some  in  the  pay  of 
the  province,  and  some  in  that  of  the  King-.     Jt  remained 
to  name  ii  commander  for  the  Crown  I'oint  enterprise. 
Nobody  had  power  to  do   so,  for  13raddock,  the  eom- 
niandcr-in-chief,  was  not  yat  come  ;  but  that  time  might 
not  bo  h)st,  Shirley,  at  the  recpiest  of   his  Assembly, 
took  the  responsibility  on  himself.     If  he  had  named  a 
Massacluisetts  oflicer,  it  would  have  roused  the  jealousy 
of  the  other  New  England  colonies  ;  and  he  therefore 
appointed  William  Johnson,  of  New  York,  thus  gratifying 
that  important  province  and   pleasing  the  Five  Nations, 
wlio  at  this  time  h)oked  on  Johnson  with  even  more 
than  usual   favor.     Hereupon,   in  re])ly  to  his   request, 
Connecticut  voted  twelve  hundred  men,  New  Hampshire 
five    hundrc'l,    and    Rhode     ishmd    four    hundred,   all 
at  their  own  charge  ;   while  New  York,  a  little    later, 
promised  eight  hundred  more.     When,  in  April,  Brad- 
dock  and  the  Council  at  Alexandria  approved  the  plan 
and  the   connnander,  Shirley    gave   Johnson  the    com- 
mission of  major-general  of  the  levies  of  Massachusetts  ; 
and  the  governors  of  the  other  provinces  contributing  to 
the  expedition  gave  him  similar  commissions  for  their 
respective   contingents.      Never   did    general   take   the 
held  with  authority  so  heterogeneous. 

He  bad  never  seen  service,  and  knew  nothing  of  war. 
By  birth  he  was  Irish,  of  good  family,  being  nejihew  of 
Admiral  Sir  Peter  Warren,  who,  owning  extensive  wild 
lands  on  th.c  Mohawk,  had  placed  the  young  man  in 
charge  of  them  nearly  twenty  years  before.  Johnson 
was  born  to  prosper.   He  had  ambition,  energy,  an  active 


I'' 


1* 


;il 


18 


LAKE    GKOIIOE    AND    LAKE    CIlAMPr.AIN. 


mind,  a  tall,  stroiit,^  j)orson,  a  rou^li,  jovial  tunijMi',  ami  a 
quick  adiiptalioii  to  his  siirroundiii'^s.  Jlu  could  drink 
flip  with  Dutch  boors,  or  Madeira  with  njyal  govui-nor.s. 
lie  liked  th(!  society  oi'  the  great,  would  intrigue  and  flat- 
ter when  he  had  an  end  to  gain,  and  foil  a  rival  without 
looking  too  closely  at  the  means  ;  but  compiired  with 
the  Indian  traders  who  infested  thi;  bordei-,  he  was  a 
model  of  uprightness.  lie  lived  by  the  Mohawk  in  a 
fortified  house?  which  was  a  stronghold  ag-.inst  foes  and 
a  scene  of  hosi)itality  to  friends,  both  white  iind  red. 
Here  —  for  his  tastes  were  not  fastidious  —  presided  for 
many  years  a  Dutch  or  tJerman  wench  Avhom  he  finally 
married  ;  and  after  her  death  a  young  ^fohawk  squaw 
took  lu.'r  jdace.  Over  his  neighbors,  the  Indians  of  the 
Five  Nations,  and  all  othei's  of  their  race  with  whom  he 
had  to  deal,  he  acepiircd  a  remarkai)le  induenco.  lie 
liked  them,  adojited  their  ways,  and  treated  them  kindly 
or  sternly  as  the  case  required,  but  always  with  a  justice 
and  honesty  in  strong  contrast  with  the  rascalities  of 
the  commission  of  Albany  traders  who  had  lately  man- 
aged their  affairs,  and  whom  they  so  detested  that  one 
of  their  chiefs  called  them  "  not  men,  but  devils." 
Ilenee,  when  Johnson  Avas  made  Indian  superintendent 
there  was  joy  throngh  all  the  Jroijuois  confederacy. 
When,  in  addition,  he  was  made  a  general,  lie  assembled 
the  warriors  in  council  to  engage  them  to  aid  the 
expedition. 

This  meeting  took  ])lacc  at  his  own  lioiise,  known  as 
Fort  Johnson ;  and  as  more  than  eleven  hundred  Ind- 
ians ap])earcd  at  his  call,  his  larder  was  sorely  taxed 
to  entertain  them.  The  speeches  were  interminable. 
Johnson,  a  master  of  Indian  rhetoric,  knew  his  audience 
too  well  not  to  contest  with  them  the  palm  of  insuffer- 
able prolixity.     The  climax  was  reached  on  the  fourth 


I 


^  I 


BATTLE    OF    LAKE    GEORGE. 


19 


duy,  and  he  tlirew  down  llic  wiir-bclt.  An  Oneida  chief 
took  it  up;  Stevens,  the  iiitcriu'eter,  hcj^jin  tlie  wjir- 
danec,  and  the  assembled  warriors  liowh'd  in  eliorus. 
Then  a  tub  of  puncli  was  brouirlit  in,  and  tlu-y  ail  drank 
the  King's  health.  They  showed  less  ahierity,  however, 
to  fiLdit  his  batlles,  and  scarc;'ly  three  hundred  ol"  tliein 
Avoidd  take  the  war-path.  Too  ninny  of  their  friends 
and  rehitives  were  enlisted  for  tiio  Freneh. 

Wliilc  the  British  colonists  were?  prepnrin<j^  to  attack 
Crown  Point,  tlie  French  of  Canada  wei'e  j)repai'iu,t!:  to 
(h'fend  it.  I)u((ucsnc,  recalled  from  Ins  post,  liad  re- 
siixucfl  the  irovernment  to  tlu;  Marc^uis  do  Vaudrcuil.  who 
had  at  his  disposal  the  battalions  of  rejruhirs  tliat  had 
sailed  in  the  sprinj^  from  Brest  under  Jiaron  IMeskau. 
His  first  thought  was  to  use  thcin  b)r  the  capture  of 
Oswego;  but  letters  of  Braddock,  found  on  the  baltle- 
field  of  the  jMonongahela,  warned  him  of  llie  design 
against  Crown  Point;  while  a  reconnoitring  party  which 
had  gone  as  far  as  the  Hudson  brought  Inick  news  that 
Johnson's  forces  were  alreadv  in  the  held.  Therefore 
the  })la.n  was  changed,  and  Dieskau  was  ordered  to  lead 
the  main  body  of  his  troops,  not  to  Lake  Ontario,  but 
to  Lake  Champlain.  He  passed  up  the  Richelieu,  and 
embarked  in  boats  and  canoes  for  Crown  Point.  The- 
veteran  knew  that  the  foes  with  whom  lie  had  to  deal 
were  but  a  mob  of  countrymen.  He  dou])ted  not  of  ])ut- 
tiug  them  to  rout,  and  meant  never  to  hold  his  hand  till 
he  had  chased  them  back  to  Albany.  "Make  all  haste," 
Vaudreuil  wrote  to  him;  ''for  when  you  return  we  shall 
send  you  to  Oswego  to  execute  our  first  design." 

Johnson  on  his  part  was  preparing  to  advance.  In 
July  about  three  thousand  provincials  were  encamped 
near  Albany,  some  on  the  "Flats"  above  the  town,  and 
some  on  the  meadows  below.     Hither,  too,  came  a  swarm 


:: 


fir 


20 


LAKE    GEOIIGE    AND    LAKE    CHAMPLAIN. 


i     1 


I 


of  Jolinsoii's  Muliawkw,  —  warriors,  H(iuawH,  and  chiltlron. 
They  adorned  tliu  CJcncrars  I'ucu  witli  \var-|iaiiit,  and  liu 
danced  the  war-dance;  tlieu  with  liis  sword  he  ent  the 
first  slice  from  Hie  ox  tliat  had  been  roasted  wiiole 
for  Iheir  ent(!rtainment.  "1  shall  be  glad,"  wrote  the 
Bur^^eon  of  ki  New  I'Jnj-land  regiment,  "  if  they  light  as 
eagei-ly  as  they  ate  their  ox  and  drank  their  wine." 

Above  all  things  the  ox|)edition  needed  promptness; 
yet  every! hi iig  moved  slowly.  Five  po^mlar  legislatures 
controlled  the  troops  and  the  supplies,  ('ouneeticut  had 
refused  to  send  her  men  till  Shirley  promised  that  her 
commanding  officer  should  rank  next  to  Johnson.  The 
whole  movement  was  for  some  time  at  a  deadlock  because 
the  five  governments  could  not  agree  al)out  their  cou- 
tril)utions  of  artillery  and  stores.  The  New  ITampshire 
regiment  had  taken  a  short  cut  for  Crown  Point  across 
the  wilderness  of  Vermont;  but  had  been  recalled  in  time 
to  save  them  from  probable  destruction.  They  were  now 
with  (he  rest  in  the  camp  at  Albany,  in  snch  distress 
for  ])rovisions  that  a  private  subscription  was  proposed 
for  their  relief. 

.lolmson's  army,  crude  as  it  was,  had  in  it  good  mate- 
rial. Here  was  Phineas  Lyman,  of  Connecticut,  second 
in  command,  once  a  tutor  at  Yale  College,  and  more 
recently  a  hiwycr,  —  a  raw  soldier,  bnt  a  vigorous  and 
brave  one ;  Colonel  Moses  Titcomb,  of  Massachusetts, 
who  had  fought  with  credit  at  Lonisbourg;  and  Ephraim 
Williams,  also  colonel  of  a  Massachusetts  regiment,  a 
tall  and  portly  mnn,  vvho  had  been  a  ca])tain  in  the  last 
war,  member  of  the  General  Court,  and  deputy-sheriff. 
He  made  his  will  in  the  camp  at  Albany,  and  left  a 
legacy  to  found  the  school  which  has  since  become  Wil- 
liams College.  His  relative,  Stephen  Williams,  was 
chaplain  of  his  regiment,  and  his  brother  Thomas  was 


chiUU'oii. 
b,  ami  lii5 
;  cut  tlio 
ed  whole 
,viotc  tho 
y  liglit  as 

uc." 

)m[)tucss ; 
oislaturcrt 
cticiit  luul 
I  that  her 
son.     The 
ck  because 
Iheh"  con- 
ITampslnre 
oint  across 
Hod  in  time 
y  were  now 
icli  distress 
is  proposed 

rrood  matc- 
icnt,  second 
I,  and  more 
io-orons  and 
issachnsctts, 
md  Ephraim 

regiment,  a 
n  in  the  last 
cputy-slieriff. 
r,  and  left  a 

become  Wil- 
riUiams,  was 

Thomas  was 


IJATTLE    OF    LAKE    GEOUGE. 


21 


its  surg(M)n.  Seth  Pomeroy,  gunsmith  at  Northampfon, 
who,  like  Titeouib,  had  seen  service  at  Luuisbourg,  was 
its  lieuteuant-culunel.  lie  had  lelt  a  wile  at  home,  an 
excellent  matron,  to  whom  he  was  conliuuuUy  writing 
al'leetionute  letters,  mingling  household  cares  with  news 
oi'  the  cam]),  and  chai'ging  her  to  see  lliat  their  ekk!st 
boy,  Seth,  then  in  college  at  New  Haven,  did  not  run  oiT 
to  the  armv.  IVmerov  had  with  him  his  brother  Daniel ; 
and  this  he  thought  was  enough.  Here,  too,  was  a  man 
wliose  name  is  still  a  household  word  in  New  Eniiland, 
—  the  stiu'dy  Israel  Putnam,  private  in  a  Connecticut 
regiment;  and  nnothor  as  bold  as  he,  John  Stark,  lieu- 
tenant in  the  New  Hampshire  levies,  and  the  luturc 
victor  of  Hennington. 

The  soldiers  were  no  soldiers,  but  farmers  and  farmers' 
sons  who  had  volunteered  for  the  summer  eanipaign. 
One  of  the  corps  liad  a  blue  uniform  faced  with  red. 
The  rest  wore  their  daily  clothing.  Blankets  had  been 
served  out  to  ihem  by  tlie  several  provinces,  but  the 
greater  part  brought  Iheir  own  guns;  some  under  the 
penalty  of  a  fine  if  they  came  without  tliem,  and  some 
under  the  inducement  of  a  reward.  They  liad  no  bay- 
onets, but  carried  hatchets  in  their  belts  as  a  sort  of 
sul)stitnte.  At  their  sides  were  slung  powder-horns,  on 
which,  in  the  leisure  of  the  camp,  they  carved  quaint 
devices  with  the  points  of  their  jack-knives.  They  came 
chiefly  from  plain  New  England  homesteads,  —  rustic 
abodes,  unpaintcd  and  dingy,  with  long  well-sweeps, 
capacious  barns,  rough  fields  of  punijikins  and  corn, 
and  vast  kitchen  chimneys,  above  which  in  winter  hung 
squashes  to  keep  them  from  frost,  and  guns  to  keep 
them  from  rust. 

As  to  the  manners  and  morals  of  the  army  there  is 
conflict  of  evidence.      In  some  respects  nothing  could 


1! 
lil 


111 


22 


LAKE    GEORGE    AND    LAKE    CHAMPLAIN. 


be  more  exemplary.  "  Not  a  cliickeii  lias  been  stolen," 
8a}  s  William  Smith,  of  New  York  ;  while,  on  the  other 
hand,  Colonel  Ephraim  Williams  writes  to  Colonel 
Israel  Williams,  then  commanding  on  the  Massachusetts 
frontier:  "  We  are  a  wicked,  ])rofane  army,  especially  the 
New  York*  and  Rhode  Island  troojjs.  Nothing  to  be 
heard  among  a  great  ])art  of  them  but  the  language  of 
Hell.  If  Crown  Point  is  taken,  it  will  not  be  for  our 
sakes,  but  for  those  good  people  left  behind."  There 
was  edifying  regularity  in  respect  to  form.  Sermons 
twice  a  week,  daily  prayers,  and  frequent  jisalm- 
sinning  alternated  with  the  much-needed  military  drill. 
"  Prayers  among  us  night  and  morning,"  writes  Private 
Jonathan  Caswell,  of  Mtissachusctts,  to  his  father. 
*'  Here  we  lie,  knowing  not  when  we  shall  march  for 
Crown  Point ;  but  I  hope  not  long  to  tarry.  Desiring 
your  prayers  to  God  for  me  as  1  am  agoing  to  war,  1 
am  Your  Ever  Dutiful  Son." 

To  Pomeroy  and  some  of  his  brothers  in  arms  it 
seemed  that  they  \rere  engaged  in  a  kind  of  crusade 
against  the  mvrmidons  of  Rome.  "As  V(^.i  have  at 
heart  the  Protestant  cause,"  he  wrote  to  his  friend 
Israel  Williams,  "so  I  ask  an  interest  in  your  pra}ers 
that  the  Lord  of  Hosts  would  go  forth  with  us  and  give 
us  victory  over  our  nnrcasonabl<%  encroaching",  barbarous, 
niurdei-ing  <'nemies." 

Both  Williams  the  surgeon  and  Williams  the  colonel 
chafed  at  the  incessant  delays.  "The  expedition  goes 
on  very  nuich  as  a  snail  runs,"  writes  the  former  to  his 
wife ;  "  it  seems  we  may  ])ossibly  sec  Crown  Point  this 
time  twelve  months."  The  ('olonel  was  vexed  because 
everything  was  out  of  joint  in  the  dei)artment  of  trans- 
portation :  wagoners  mutinous  for  want  of  pay  ;  ordnance 
stores,  camp-kettles,  and  provisions  left  behind.    "As  to 


VTN. 

en  stolen," 
I  the  other 
to  Colonel 
bsacliusetts 
pecially  the 
hing  to  bo 
anguago  of 
be  for  our 
1."  There 
,  Sermons 
ent  ]isalm- 
litary  drill, 
tcs  Private 
his  father, 
march  for 
.  Desiring 
g  to  war,  1 

in  arms  it 
ol'  crusade 
^.1  have  at 
Ills  friend 
our  praters 
lis  and  give 
:,  barbarous, 

the  colonel 
edition  goes 
i-mcr  to  his 
L  Point  this 
^cd  because 
ut  of  trans- 
; ;  ordnance 
nd.    ''As  to 


BATTLE    OF    LAKE    GEORGE. 


23 


rum,"  he  complains,  "  it  won't  hold  out  nine  weeks. 
Things  appear  most  melauclioly  to  me."  E\en  as  he 
was  writing,  a  report  came  of  the  defeat  of  Braddock ; 
and,  shocked  at  the  blow,  his  pen  traced  the  words:  ''  The 
Lord  have  mercy  on  {)Oor  New  England ! " 

Johnson  had  sent  four  Mohawk  scouts  to  Canada. 
Tlu'V  returned  on  the  twenty-lirst  of  August  with  the 
report  that  the  French  were  all  astir  with  preparation, 
and  that  eight  thousand  men  were  coming  to  defend 
Crown  Point.  On  this  a  council  of  war  was  called  ;  and 
it  was  resolved  to  send  to  the  several  colonies  for 
reinforcements.  Meanwhile  the  main  body  had  moved 
up  the  river  to  the  spot  called  the  Great  Carrying  Place, 
where  Lyman  had  begun  a  fortified  storehouse,  which 
his  men  called  Fort  Lvnian,  but  which  was  afterwards 
named  Fort  Edward.  Two  Indian  trails  led  from  this 
point  to  the  waters  of  Lake  Champlain,  one  by  way  of 
Lake  (Jeortjje,  and  the  other  bv  way  of  Wood  Creek. 
There  was  doubt  which  course  tlu;  army  should  take. 
A  road  was  begun  to  Wood  Creek  ;  then  it  was  counter- 
manded, and  a  party  was  sent  to  exphnv  the  path  to 
Lake  (leorge.  '•  With  submission  to  the  general  of- 
ticers,"  Surgeon  Williams  again  writes,  ''  1  think  it  a 
very  grand  mistake  that  the  business  of  reconnoitring 
was  nut  done  months  agone."  It  was  resolved  at  last 
to  march  for  Lake  Ceorge ;  gangs  of  axemen  were  sent 
to  hew  out  the  way;  and  on  the  twenty-sixth  two  thou- 
sand men  were  ordered  to  the  lake,  while  Colonel 
Blanchard,  of  New  Hampshire,  remained  with  five  hun- 
dred to  finish  and  defend  Fort  Lyman. 

The  train  of  Dutch  wagons,  guarded  by  the  homely 
soldiery,  jolted  slowly  over  the  stumps  and  roots  of  the 
newly  made  road,  and  the  reiriments  followed  at  their 
leisure.     The   hardshii)s  of  the  way   were  not  without 


1 


-I  < 
II: 


li 


'Mi 


24 


LAKE    GEORGE    AND    LAKE    CIIAMPLAIN. 


their  consolations.  The  jovial  Irishman  who  held  the 
chief  command  made  himscli'  verv  a<>,recaljle  to  the  New 
England  ollicers.  "  We  went  on  about  four  or  five  miles," 
says  Pomeroy  in  his  Journal,  "  tlien  stopped,  ate  pieces  of 
broken  bread  and  cheese,  and  dran]<;  some  fresh  lemon- 
j)unch  and  the  best  of  wine  witii  General  Johnson  and 
some  of  the  field-orticers."  It  was  the  same  on  the  next 
day.  "  Stoi»ped  about  noon  and  dined  with  Ccneral 
Johnson  by  a  small  bi'ook  under  a  tree ;  ate  a  jiood 
dinner  of  cold  boiled  and  roast  venison ;  drank  good 
fresh  lemon-punch  and  wine." 

That  afternoon  they  reached  their  destination,  four- 
teen miles  from  Fort  Lyman.  The  most  beautiful  lake 
in  America  lay  before  them ;  then  more  beautiful  than 
now,  in  tlie  wild  charm  of  untrodden  mountains  and 
virgin  forests.  "  I  liavc  given  it  the  name  of  Lake 
George,"  wrote  Johnson  to  the  Lords  of  Trade,  "  not 
only  in  honor  of  His  Majesty,  but  to  ascertain  his  un- 
doubted dominion  here."  llis  men  made  their  camp 
on  a  piece  of  rough  ground  by  the  edge  of  the  water, 
pitching  thi'ir  tents  among  the  stumps  of  the  newly 
felled  trees.  In  tlieir  front  was  a  fon^st  of  })itcli-pine ; 
on  their  right,  a  marsh,  choked  with  alders  and  swamp- 
maples ;  on  their  left,  the  low  hill  where  Fort  George 
was  afterwards  built;  and  at  their  rear,  the  lake.  Little 
was  done  to  (dear  the  forest  in  front,  though  it  would 
give  cxc(dlent  cover  to  an  enemy.  Nor  did  Johnson 
take  much  ])ains  to  learn  the  movements  of  the  French 
in  the  direction  of  Crown  Point,  thougii  he  sent  scouts 
towards  South  Bay  and  Wood  Creek.  Every  day  stores 
and  bateaux,  or  flat  boats,  came  on  wagons  from  Fort 
Lyman ;  and  preparation  moved  on  with  the  leisui'o  tliat 
had  marked  it  from  the  (irst.  About  throe  hundred 
Mohawks  came  to  the  camp,  and  were  regarded  by  the 


I 


BATTLE    OF    LAKE    GEORGE. 


25 


icld  the 

the  New 

)  miles," 

)icccs  of 

1  lemon- 

sou  and 

the  next 

General 

a  jrood 

Ilk  good 

»n,  four- 

fnl  lake 

fill  than 

lins  and 

[)f   Lake             | 

Ic,  "not              j 

his  un- 

ir  camp 

e  water,              | 

0    newly              ^ 

eh-i)ine  ; 

swam})-              1 

George              | 

.    Little             1 

it  would             f 

Johnson             | 

3  French              | 

t  scouts             1 

iy  stores            j 

om  Fort             i 

uii'c  that             1 

hundred             1 

d  hy  the             | 

New  England  men  as  nuisances.  On  Sunday  the  gray- 
haired  Stephen  Williams  preached  to  these  savage  allies 
a  long  Cal\  inistic  sermon,  which  must  have  sorely  per- 
plexed the  interpreter  whose  husiness  it  was  to  turn 
it  into  Mohawk  ;  and  in  the  afternoon  young  Glia])lain 
Newell,  of  Rhode  Ishind,  expounded  to  the  New  l"]ngland 
men  the  somewhat  untimelv  text,  "  Love  vour  enemies," 
On  the  next  Sunday,  Se))temher  seventh,  AVilliams 
preached  again,  this  time  to  the  whites  from  a  text 
in  Isaiah.  It  was  a  peaceful  day,  fair  and  warm,  with 
a  few  light  showers  ;  yet  not  wholly  a  day  of  rest,  for 
two  hundred  wagons  came  up  from  Fort  Lyman,  loaded 
Avith  hatcaux.  After  the  sermon  there  was  an  alarm. 
An  Indian  scout  came  in  ahout  sunset,  and  reported 
that  he  had  found  the  trail  of  a  hody  of  men  moving 
from  South  Lav  towards  Fort  Lvman.  Johnson  called 
for  a  volunteer  to  cari-y  a  letter  of  warning  to  Colonel 
Llanchard,  the  comnuuider.  A  wagoner  named  Adams 
offered  himself  for  the  perilous  servif-e,  mounted,  and 
galloped  along  the  road  with  the  letter.  Sentries  were 
})0sted,  and  the  camp  fell  asleep. 

While  Johnson  lay  at  Lake  (ieoi-ge,  Dieskau  prepared 
a  suri)rise  for  him.  The  (Jerman  IJaron  had  reached 
Crown  Point  at  the  head  of  three  thousand  live  hundred 
and  seventy-thi-ee  men,  regidars,  Canadians,  and  Indians. 
fle  had  no  thought  of  waiting  there  to  l»e  attacked,  'i'he 
troops  were  told  to  hold  themselves  ready  to  move  at 
a  moment's  notice.  Oflicers  —  so  ran  the  order  —  will 
take  nothing  with  them  hut  one  spare  shirt,  one  spare 
pair  of  shoes,  a  hlanket.  a  hearskin,  and  |>rovisions  for 
twelve  days;  Indians  are  not  to  anuise  themsilves  by 
taking  scalps  till  the  enemy  is  entirely  defeated,  since 
they  can  kill  ten  men  in  the  time  required  to  seal})  one. 
Then  Dieskau   moved   on,  with  nearly  all  his  force,  to 


J 


.!| 


Hi 


fill!!} 


ill 


26 


LAKE   GEORGE   AND   LAKE    CUAMPLAIN. 


Carillon,  or  Ticoiidcroga,  a  promontory  commanding 
both  the  routes  by  wliicli  alone  Johnson  could  advance, 
that  of  Wood  Creek  and  that  of  Lake  Ccorgo. 

The  Indian  allies  were  commanded  by  Legardeur  de 
Saint-Pierre.  These  unmanageable  warriors  were  a  con- 
stant annoyance  to  Dieskau,  being  a  species  of  humanity 
(luite  new  to  him.  "They  drive  us  crazy,"  he  says, 
"from  morning  till  night.  There  is  no  end  to  their 
demands.  They  have  already  eaten  five  oxen  and  as 
many  hogs,  without  counting  the  kegs  of  brandy  they 
have  drunk.  In  short,  one  needs  tlie  patience  of  an 
angel  to  get  on  with  these  devils  ;  and  yet  one  must 
always  force  himself  to  seem  pleased  with  them." 

They  would  scarcely  even  go  out  as  scouts.  At  last, 
however,  on  the  fourth  of  Se])tcmb(M-,  a  reconnoitring 
party  came  in  with  a  seal])  and  an  English  ])risoner 
caught  near  Fort  Lyman.  He  was  questioned  under  the 
threat  of  being  given  to  the  Indians  for  torture  if  lie  did 
not  tell  the  truth;  but,  nothing  daunted,  he  invented  a 
])atriotic  falsehood ;  and  thinking  to  lure  his  captors 
into  a  traj),  told  them  that  the  English  army  had  fallen 
back  to  Albany,  leaving  five  hundred  men  at  Fort 
Lyman,  which  he  represented  as  indefensible.  Dieskau 
resolved  on  a  rapid  movement  to  seize  the  place.  At 
noon  of  the  same  day,  leaving  a  part  of  his  force  at 
Ticonderoga,  lie  embarked  the  rest  in  canoes  and  ad- 
vanced along  the  narrow  prolongation  of  Lak(!  Chaui- 
plain  that  stretched  southward  through  the  wilderness 
to  where  the  town  of  Whitehall  now  stands.  He  soon 
came  to  a  point  whore  the  lake  dwindled  to  a  more  canal, 
while  two  mighty  rocks,  capped  with  stunted  forests, 
faCv'd  each  other  from  the  opposing  l)anks.  ITerc  he 
loft  an  officer  named  Roquomaure  with  a  dotaclimont 
of  troojts,  and  again  advanced  along  a  belt  of  quiet  water 


III 


BATTLE    OF    LAKE    GEOnOE. 


27 


Handing 
idvunce, 

• 

•deur  de 
ro  a  cun- 
umanity 
ho  says, 
to  their 

and  as 
idy  tlicy 
id  of  an 
nc  must 
!m." 
At  last, 
moitring 
])nsoner 
ndcr  the 
f  he  did 

cntod  a 

captors 
,d  fallen 
at  Fort 
Dieskaii 
ice.  At 
force  at 

and  ad- 
0,  Cham- 
Idorncss 
Te  soon 
ro  canal, 

forests, 
ITcre  he 
ficlimont 
et  water 


traced  through  the  midst  of  a  deep  marsh,  green  at 
that  season  with  sedge  and  water-weeds,  and  known 
to  the  English  as  the  Drowned  Lands.  JJeyond,  on 
either  hand,  ci'ags  feathered  with  bircii  and  fir,  or  liills 
mantled  with  woods,  looked  down  on  tlie  long  procession 
of  canoes.  As  they  nearcd  the  site  of  Whitehall,  a  pas- 
sage opened  on  the  right,  the  entrance  to  a  slieet  of 
lonely  water  slumbering  in  the  shadow  of  woody  moun- 
tains, and  forming  the  lake  then,  as  now,  called  South 
Day.  They  advanced  to  its  head,  landed  where  a  small 
stream  enters  it,  left  the  canoes  under  a  guard,  and 
began  llicir  march  through  the  forest.  Tiiey  counted 
in  all  two  hundred  and  sixteen  regulars  of  the  battalions 
of  Languedoc  and  La  Reinc,  six  hundred  and  eighty- 
four  Canadians,  and  about  six  hundred  Indians.  Every 
olliccr  and  man  carried  provisions  for  eight  dnys  in  his 
knapsack.  They  encamped  at  night  by  ii  brook,  nud  in 
the  morning,  after  hearing  ^lass.  marched  again.  The 
evening  of  the  next  day  brought  them  near  the  road  that 
led  to  Lake  George.  Fort  Lyman  was  but  three  miles 
distant.  A  man  on  horseback  galloi)ed  by  ;  it  was 
Adams,  Johnson's  unfortunate  messenger.  The  Indians 
shot  him,  and  found  the  letter  in  his  ))ocket.  Soon 
after,  ten  or  twelve  wngons  a])j)eared  in  charge  of  mu- 
tinous drivers,  who  had  left  the  English  can)))  without 
ordiM's.  Several  of  them  were  shot,  two  were  taken,  and 
the  rest  ran  off.  The  two  captives  declared  that,  con- 
trary to  the  assertion  of  the  prisoner  at  Ticonderoga,  a 
large  force  lay  encamped  at  the  lake.  Tlu>  Indians  now 
held  a  coimcil,  and  presently  gave  out  that  they  would 
not  attack  the  fort,  wliich  they  thouulit  well  su])plied 
with  cannon,  but  that  they  were  willing  to  attack  the 
camp  at  Lake  George.  Remonstrance  was  lost  upon 
them.     Dieskau  was  not  young,  but  he  was  daring  to 


28  LAKE    GEOUCiE    AND   LAKE   CIIAMPLAIN. 

rashness,  and  inflamed  to  emulation  by  the  victory  over 
Braddock.  The  enemy  were  reported  greatly  to  outnum- 
ber him  ;  but  his  Canadian  advisers  had  assured  him 
that  the  English  colony  militia  were  the  worst  troojjs 
on  the  lace  of  the  earth.  ''  The  more  there  are,"  he 
said  to  the  Canadians  and  Indians,  "  the  more  we  shall 
kill ;"  and  in  the  morning  the  order  was  given  to  march 
for  the  lake. 

They  moved  rapidly  on  through  the  waste  of  pines, 
and  soon  entered  the  rugged  valley  that  led  to  Johnson's 
camp.  On  their  right  was  a  gorge  where,  shadowed  in 
bushes,  gurgled  a  gloomy  brook;  and  beyond  rose  the 
cliiTs  that  buttressed  the  rocky  heights  of  French  Moun- 
tain, seen  by  glimpses  between  the  boughs.  On  their 
left  rose  gradujj^v  the  lower  slopes  of  West  Mountain. 
All  was  red:,  ;;i;cket,  and  forest;  there  Avas  no  open 
space  but  the  road  along  which  the  regulars  marched, 
while  the  Cai,  -^ia),  ■  and  Indians  pushed  their  way 
through  the  woods  in  such  order  as  the  broken  ground 
would  permit. 

They  were  three  miles  from  the  lake,  when  their 
scouts  brought  in  a  prisoner  who  told  them  that  a  col- 
umn of  English  troops  was  approaching.  Dieskau's 
preparations  were  quickly  made.  While  the  regulars 
lialted  on  the  road,  the  Canadians  and  Indians  moved 
to  the  front,  whei-e  most  of  them  hid  in  the  forest  along 
the  slo])es  of  West  Mountain,  and  the  rest  lay  close 
among  the  thickets  on  the  other  side.  Thus,  when  the 
English  advanced  to  attack  the  regulars  in  front,  they 
would  find  themselves  caught  in  a  double  ambush.  No 
sight  or  sound  betrayed  the  snare ;  but  behind  every 
bush  crouched  a  Canadian  or  a  savage,  with  gun  cocked 
and  ears  intent,  listening  for  the  tramp  of  the  approach- 
ing column. 


BATTLE    OF   LAKE    GEORGE. 


29 


The  wagoners  who  escaped  the  cvoiiiiig  before  had 
reached  tlic  camp  about  midnight,  and  re})orted  that 
there  was  a  war-party  on  the  road  near  Fort  L\nian. 
Johnson  had  at  this  time  twenty-two  hundred  efi'ectivo 
men,  besides  his  three  hundred  Indians,  lla  called  a 
council  of  war  in  the  morning,  and  a  resolution  was 
taken  Avhich  can  only  be  explained  by  a  complete  mis- 
conception as  to  the  force  of  the  French.  It  was  de- 
termined to  send  out  two  detachments  of  five  humlred 
men  each,  one  towards  Fort  Lyman,  and  the  other 
towards  South  Bay,  the  object  l)cing,  according  to  John- 
son, "  to  catch  the  enemy  in  their  retreat."  Ilendrick, 
chief  of  the  Mohaw-ks,  a  brave  and  sagacious  warrior, 
expressed  his  dissent  after  a  fashion  of  his  own.  lie 
picked  up  a  stick  and  broke  it ;  then  he  i)ickcd  up 
several  sticks,  and  showed  that  together  they  could  not 
be  broken.  The  hint  was  taken,  and  the  two  detach- 
ments were  joined  in  one.  Still  the  old  savage  shook 
his  head.  "If  they  arc  to  be  killed,"  he  said,  "they 
are  too  many ;  if  they  arc  to  fight,  they  arc  too  few." 
Nevertheless,  he  resolved  to  share  their  fortunes;  and 
mounting  on  a  gun-carriage,  he  harangued  his  warriors 
with  a  voice  so  animated,  and  gestures  so  expressive, 
that  the  New  England  ofTicera  listened  in  admiration, 
though  they  understood  not  a  Avord.  One  difTiculty 
remained.  He  was  too  old  and  fat  to  go  afoot;  but 
Johnson  lent  him  a  horse,  which  he  bestrode,  and  trotted 
to  the  liead  of  the  column,  followed  by  two  hundred  of 
his  warriors  as  fast  as  they  could  grease,  paint,  and 
be  feather  themselves. 

Captain  Elisha  Hawley  was  in  his  tent,  finishing  a 
letter  which  he  had  just  written  to  his  brother  Joseph ; 
and  these  were  the  last  words:  "I  am  this  minute  ago- 
ing out  in  company  with  five  hundred  men  to  see  if  we 


} 
i 


80 


LAKE    r.EOIiCJE    AND    LAKE    CIIAMPI.AIX. 


W 


can  intercept  'em  in  their  retreat,  or  lind  their  canoes 
in  the  Drowned  Lands;  und  therefore  must  eonehide 
this  letter."  lie  elosed  and  directed  it ;  and  in  un  hour 
received  his  deatii-wound. 

Jt  Avas  soon  after  eight  (/clock  when  Ejthraini  "Wil- 
liams left  the  canij)  with  his  regiment,  marched  a  little 
distance,  and  tlien  waiti'd  for  the  rest  of  the  detachment 
under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Whitinu;.  Thus  Dieskau  had 
full  time  to  lay  his  amltush.  Wlien  Whiting  came  up, 
the  wliole  moved  on  together,  so  little  conscious  of  dan- 
ger that  no  scouts  were  thrown  out  in  front  ov  ilank  ; 
and,  in  full  security,  they  entered  Ihe  fatal  snare.  J)e- 
forc  they  were  comi)letely  involved  in  it,  the  sharp  eye 
of  old  Ilendrick  detected  some  sign  of  an  enemy.  At 
that  instant,  whether  by  accident  or  design,  a  gun  was 
fired  from  the  bushes.  It  is  said  that  Picskau's  Jroquois, 
seeing  Afohawks,  their  relatives,  in  the  van,  wished  to 
warn  them  of  danger.  If  so,  tlu^  warning  came  too  late. 
The  thickets  on  the  left  Idazed  out  a  deadly  lire,  and 
the  men  fell  by  scores.  In  the  words  of  Dieskau,  the 
head  of  the  coliinm  "was  doul)led  up  like  a  pack  of 
cards."  Hendriek's  horse  was  shot  down,  and  tlie  chief 
was  killed  with  a  bayonet  as  he  tried  to  rise.  "Williams, 
seeing  a  rising  ground  on  his  rigid,  made  for  it,  calling 
on  his  men  to  follow  ;  but  as  ho  climbed  the  slope,  guns 
flashed  from  the  bushes,  and  a  shot  through  the  brain 
laid  him  dead.  The  men  in  the  rear  pressed  forward 
to  support  their  comrades,  when  a  hot  fire  was  suddenly 
opened  on  them  from  the  forest  along  their  right  flank. 
Then  there  was  a  panic  :  some  fled  outright,  and  the 
whole  column  recoiled.  The  van  now  became  the  rear, 
and  all  the  force  of  the  enemy  rushed  upon  it,  shouting 
and  screeching.  There  was  a  moment  of  total  confusion ; 
but  a  part  of  Williams's  regiment  rallied  under  command 


BATTLE    OF    LAKE    GEORGE. 


81 


of  WliitiiiLsnnd  covered  the  rolreat,  li^ditin«v  bi'liind  trees 
like  Indians,  and  firing  and  falling  buck  by  tnrns,  bnivclv 
aided  bv  some  of  the  Mohawks  and  by*  a  detaehmen't 
whieh  Johnson  sent  to  their  aid.  ^^  And  a  very  hand- 
some retreat  they  made,"  writes  Tomerov ;  '-and  so 
eontinued  till  they  came  within  about  three  (niarters  of 
a  mile  of  our  camp.  This  was  the  last  fire  our  men  gave 
our  enemies,  which  killed  great  nund)era  of  them;  Uiey 
were  seen  to  drop  as  i)igcons."  So  emied  the  fray  long 
known  in  New  England  fireside  story  as  the  "bloody 
morning  scout."  Dieskan  now  ordered  a  lialt,  and 
sounded  his  trumpets  to  collect  his  scattered  men.  J I  is 
Indians,  however,  were  sullen  and  unmamigeable,  and 
the  Canadians  also  showed  signs  of  wavering.  The 
veteran  who  commanded  them  all,  Legardeur  de  Saint- 
Pierre,  had  been  killed.  At  length  they  were  jjersuaded 
to  move  again,  the  regulars  leading  the  way. 

About  nn  hour  after  Williams  and  his  men  had  begun 
their  march,  a  distant  rattle  of  musketry  was  heard  at 
the  cnniji;  and  as  it  grew  nearer  and    louder,  the  lis- 
teners knew  that  their  comrades  were  on  the    retreat. 
Then,  at  the  eleventh  hour,  preparations  were  begun  for 
defence.     A  sort  of  bnrricadc  was  made  along  the  fi'ont 
f>f  the  cnmp,  jiartly  of   wagons,  and  i)nrtly  of  inverted 
bateaux,  liut  chiefly  of  the  trunks  of  trees  hastily  hewn 
down   in   the  neighboring  forest  and  laid  end  to  end  in 
a  single  row.     The   line   extended    from   the   southern 
slopes  of  the  hill  on  the  left  across  a  tract  of  rough 
ground  to  the  marshes  on  the  right.     The  forest,  choked 
with  bushes  and  clumps  of  rank  ferns,  was  within  a  few 
yards  of  the  barricade,  and  there  was  scarcely  time  to 
hack  away  the  intervening  thickets.    Three  cannon  were 
planted  to  sweep  the  road  that  descended  through  the 
pines,  and  another  was  dragged  up  to  the  ridge  of  the 


32 


LAKE    GEORGE    AND    LAKE    CILVMFLAIN. 


[>  W 


\>.  ( 


:   'I 


hill.  The  (.Icfoatct]  party  began  to  come  in;  first,  scared 
fii,L?itives  botli  wiiite  and  red;  then,  gangs  of  men  bring- 
ing the  wounded  ;  and  at  last,  an  hour  and  a  half  alter 
the  first  lire  was  heard,  the  main  detaehnu'ut  was  seen 
marching  in  compact  bodies  down  the  road. 

Five  hundred  men  were  detailed  to  guard  the  flanks 
of  the  camp.  The  rest  stood  behind  the  wagons  or  lay 
Hat  behind  the  logs  and  inverted  bateaux,  the  Massachu- 
setts men  on  the  right,  and  the  Connecticut  men  on  the 
left.  Besides  Indians,  this  actual  fighting  force  was 
between  sixteen  and  seventeen  hundred  rustics,  very  few 
of  whom  had  been  under  fire  before  that  morning.  They 
were  hardly  at  their  posts  when  they  saw  ranks  of  white- 
coated  soldiers  moving  down  the  road,  and  bayonets 
that  to  them  seemed  innumerable  glittering  between  the 
boughs.  At  tlic  same  time  a  terrific  burst  of  war-whoops 
rose  along  the  front ;  and,  in  the  words  of  Poincroy, 
"*  the  Canadians  and  Indians,  helter-skelter,  the  woods 
full  of  them,  came  running  with  undaunted  courage  riirht 
down  the  hill  upon  ns,  expecting  to  mike  us  flee." 
Some  of  the  men  grew  uneasy;  while  the  chief  officers, 
sword  in  hand,  threatened  inst:int  death  to  any  who 
should  stir  fi'om  their  posts.  If  Dieskan  hnd  made  nn 
assault  at  that  instant,  there  could  be  little  doubt  of  the 
result. 

This  he  well  kncw^ ;  but  he  was  powerless.  He  had 
Ids  small  force  of  regnlars  well  in  hand  ;  but  the  rest, 
red  and  white,  were  beyond  control,  scattering  through 
the  woods  and  swamps,  shouting,  yelling,  and  firing  from 
behind  trees.  The  regulars  advanced  with  intrepidity  to- 
wards the  camp  where  the  trees  were  thin,  deployed,  and 
fired  by  platoons,  till  Captain  Eyre,  who  commanded  the 
artillery,  opened  on  them  with  grape,  broke  their  ranks, 
and   compelled  them  to  take  to  cover.    The  fusillade 


BATTLK    OF    LAKE    GEOUOE. 


33 


was  now  general  on  both  sidca,  and  soon  grew  fmions. 
"  Purliuius,"  Sclli  PonuToy  wrote  to  his  wile,  two  dayn 
after,  "  the  hailstones  from  heaven  were  never  niueh 
thicker  than  llieir  bullets  came  ;  but,  blessed  bo  (Jod  ! 
that  did  not  in  the  least  dannt  or  disturb  us."  Johnson 
received  a  flesh-wound  in  the  thigh,  and  spent  the  rest 
of  the  day  in  his  tent.  Lynnin  took  einnniand ;  and  it 
is  a  marvel  that  he  escaped  alive,  f<jr  lie  was  four  liours 
in  the  heat  of  the  lire,  directing  and  animating  tlie  uien. 
'■'  It  was  the  most  awful  day  my  eyes  ever  beheld,"  wrote 
Surgeon  Williams  to  his  wife  ;  '*  tiiere  seemed  to  bo 
nothing  but  thunder  and  lightning  aud  perj)etual  pillai's 
of  smoke."  To  him,  his  c(*lleague  Doctor  Pynchon,  one 
assistant,  and  a  young  student  called  "  Billy,"  fell  the 
charge  of  the  wounded  of  his  regiment.  ''The  bullets 
Hew  about  our  ears  all  the  time  of  dressing  them;  so 
we  thought  best  to  leave  our  tent  aud  retire  a  few  rods 
behind  the  shelter  of  a  log-house."  On  the  adjacent  hill 
stood  oue  Dlodget,  who  seems  to  liave  been  a  sutler, 
Avatching,  as  well  as  bushes,  trees,  and  smoke  would  let 
him,  the  progress  of  the  fight,  of  which  he  soon  after 
made  aud  published  a  curious  bird's-eye  view.  As  the 
wounded  men  were  carried  to  the  rear,  the  wagoners 
about  the  cnmp  took  their  guns  and  powder-horns,  and 
joiuod  in  tlie  fray.  A  Moluiwk,  seeing  one  of  these  men 
still  nnarmed,  leaped  over  the  barricade,  tomahawked 
the  nearest  Canadian,  smitched  his  gun,  and  darted  back 
uuhurt.  The  brave  savage  found  no  imitators  among 
his  tril)csmcn,  most  of  whom  did  nothing  l)ut  utter  a  few 
■war-whoaps,  saying  that  they  had  come  to  see  their 
English  brothers  fight.  Some  of  the  French  Ir'i;i.is 
opened  a  distant  flank  fire  from  the  high  ground  beyond 
the  swamp  on  the  right,  but  were  driven  off  by  a  few 
shells  dropped  among  them. 

3 


34 


LAKE    GKOIKJK    AND    LAKE    CIIAMPLAIX. 


Dioskiiu  liiid  (lii'cctc'J  hi.s  first  uituck  a<rainst  the  loft 
nnd  cciitrc  of  Joliiison's  posit  ion.  Making  no  ini|)r(;ssion 
hciv,  lie  liicd  to  forc(!  llu;  rijilit,  wlicn;  lay  the  re;iinicnts 
of  Titconil),  Rniij^ios,  and  Williams.  Tlio  fire  was  hot 
lor  about  an  hour.  'J'itconib  was  shot  dead,  u  n^d  in 
front  of  lln'  harricade,  liring  from  hcliind  a  treo  like  a 
coinnion  soldier.  At  length  Dieskau,  o.\j)osing  hinis(df 
within  short  range  of  the  English  line,  was  hit  in  the 
leg.  IJis  adjutant,  Montreuil,  himself  wounded,  came 
his  aid,  and  was  washing  tlu;  injun^d  limb  with  brandy, 
when  the  unfortunate  commander  was  again  hit  in  the 
knee  and  thigh,  lie  seated  himself  behind  a  tree,  while 
the  Adjutant  called  two  ('anadians  to  carry  him  to  the 
rear.  One  of  them  was  instantly  shot  down.  ^Montreuil 
took  his  ])laco  ;  hut  Dieskau  refused  to  be  moved,  bitterly 
denounced  the  Canadians  and  Indians,  and  onlered  the 
Adjutant  to  leave  him  and  lead  the  regulars  in  a  last 
effort  against  the  camp. 

It  was  too  late.  Johnson's  men,  singly  or  in  small 
squads,  were  already  crossing  their  row  of  logs;  and 
a  few  moments  the  whole  dashed  forward  with  a  sIk 
falling  upon  the  eiuMiiy  with  hatchets  and  the  butts  of 
their  guns.  The  French  and  their  allies  lied.  The 
wounded  Oencral  still  sat  helpless  by  the  tree,  when  he 
saw  a  soldier  aiming  at  him.  lie  signed  to  the  man  not 
to  fire  ;  but  he  pulled  trigixor,  shot  him  across  the  hij)s, 
lea})cd  upon  him,  and  ordered  him  in  French  to  surren- 
der. "I  said,"  writes  Dieskau, '"You  rascal,  why  did 
you  fire  ?  You  sec  a  man  Iving  in  his  blood  on  the 
ground,  and  yon  shoot  him! '  lie  answered  :  '  How  did 
1  know  that  you  had  not  got  a  pistol  ?  I  had  rather  kill 
the  devil  than  have  the  devil  kill  me.'  '  You  are  a 
Frenchman?'  I  asked.  '  Yes,'  he  replied  ;  '  it  is  more 
than  ten  years  since  I  left  Canada ; '  whereupon  several 


BATTf^E    OF    LAKH    CEOltGK. 


36 


others  icll  on  mc  and  stripped  nic.  I  lold  them  to  cairy 
inc  to  their  ^^oncnil,  whieli  tlicv  did.  On  l<'arninii'  who  I 
was,  lio  sent  for  Hiiri^oons,  and.  thouuh  woimdcil  hinisoif, 
refused  all  assistances  till  my  wounds  were  dressed." 

It  was  near  i\\i)  o'clock  when  the  final  rout  took  placo. 
Sonu!  time  hefoi-e,  several  hundred  of  tln^  Canadians  and 
Indians  had  left  the  field  and  returned  to  the  seen(s  of 
tho  mornini:^  liirht,  to  pliuider  and  scalp  the  dead.  Tlioy 
were  resting  theuiselvcs  near  a  |iool  in  tho  forest,  closo 
heside  tho  road,  when  thoir  re|)ose  was  interru|>ted  hy 
a  voll(>v  of  hidlets.  It  was  fired  hv  a  scoiitinu'  pai'ty 
fi'om  Port  Lyman,  chiefly  haidvwoodsnien,  under  Captains 
Folsoni  and  McCinnis.  The  assailants  wore  irrcatly 
outnumhered ;  but  after  a  hard  fi^'ht  the  Canadians 
and  Indians  broke  and  lleil.  Mc(Jiunis  was  mortally 
wounded.  lie  continued  to  u'ive  orders  till  the  firinjij 
was  over;  tlien  fainted,  and  was  carried,  dyini^,  to  the 
cain[).  The  bodies  of  the  slain,  accordini^  to  tradition, 
were  thrown  into  the  pool,  which  bears  to  this  day  the 
name  of  Bloody  Pond. 

'JMi(>  various  bauds  of  fuiritives  rejoined  each  other 
towards  niuht,  and  encamped  in  the  forest  ;  then  ma<lo 
their  way  round  the  southern  shoulder  of  French  ^[oun- 
tain,  till,  in  the  next  eveniuir,  they  reached  their  canoes. 
Their  pliu'ht  was  (leploral)le  ;  for  they  had  left  tluur 
knapsacks  behind,  and  were  spent  with  fatiLiuc  and 
famine. 

Meanwhile  their  c.iptive  preneral  was  not  yet  out  of 
danirer.  The  ^fohawks  wer(^  furious  at  their  losses  in 
the  ambush  of  tin;  morninu',  and  above  all  at  the  death 
of  Ilendrick.  Scarcely  were  Dieskau's  wounds  dressed, 
when  several  of  them  came  into  the  tent.  There  was  a 
louL!-  and  ansxrv  dispute  in  their  own  htnu'uaire  between 
them   and   Johnson,   after  which    tliey   went   out   very 


m 


if 

h: 
'U 

'\ 

i 

■'i 

m 

\  § 


36 


LAKE    GEORGE    AND    LAKE    CIIAMPLAIN. 


ft 


f    iiiil 


^ 


; 


11 


sullenly.  Dicskau  asked  what  tlioy  wanted.  "  What  do 
they  want  ? "  returned  Johnson.  "  To  burn  you,  by 
God,  eat  you,  and  smoke  you  in  their  jjijjes,  in  revenge 
for  three  or  four  of  their  chiefs  that  were  killed.  But 
never  fear  ;  you  shall  be  safe  with  me,  or  else  they  shall 
kill  us  both."  The  Mohawks  soon  came  back,  atid  another 
talk  ensued,  excited  at  first,  and  then  more  calm  ;  till 
at  length  the  visitors,  seemingly  api»eased,  smiled,  gave 
Dicsivau  their  hands  in  sign  of  friendshi}),  and  quietly 
went  out  again.  Johnson  warned  him  that  he  was  not 
yot  safe  ;  and  when  the  prisoner,  fearing  that  his  pres- 
ence might  incommode  his  host,  asked  to  be  removed  to 
another  tent,  a  captain  and  fifty  men  were  ordered  to 
guard  him.  In  the  morning  an  Indian,  alone  and  appar- 
ently unarmed,  loitered  al)out  the  entrance,  and  the 
stujiid  sentinel  let  him  pass  in.  lie  immediately  drew 
a  sword  from  under  a  sort  of  cloak  which  he  wore,  and 
tried  to  stab  Dicskau ;  but  was  prevented  by  the  colonel 
to  whom  the  tent  belonged,  who  seized  upon  him,  took 
away  his  sword,  and  pushed  him  out.  As  soon  as  his 
wounds  would  permit,  Dicskau  Avas  carried  on  a  litter, 
strongly  escorted,  to  Fort  Lyman,  whence  he  was  sent 
to  Albany,  and  afterwards  to  New  York.  lie  is  profuse 
in  expressions  of  gratitude  for  the  kindness  shown  him 
by  the  colonial  ofllcers,  and  especially  by  Johnson.  Of 
the  provincial  soldiers  he  remarked  soon  after  the  battle 
that  in  the  morning  they  fought  like  good  boys,  about 
noon  like  men,  and  in  tlie  afternoon  like  devils.  In  the 
spring  of  1757  he  sailed  for  England,  and  was  for  a 
time  at  Falmouth  ;  whence  Colonel  Matthew  Sewell, 
feariufi:  that  he  mi<2:ht  e  and  learn  too  much,  wrote  to 
the  Earl  of  Iloldern  e :  "  Tbe  Baron  has  great  pene- 
tration and  quickness  of  a])prehension.  His  long  service 
under  Marshal  Saxc  renders  bim  a  man  of  real  conse- 


BATTLE   OF   LAKE   GEORGE. 


37 


(luonco,  to  be  cautiously  observed.  His  circumstances 
deserve  compassion,  for  indeed  they  are  very  melancholy, 
and  I  much  doubt  of  his  being  ever  perfectly  cured," 
lie  was  afterwards  a  lont^  time  at  Bath,  for  the  benefit 
of  the  waters.  In  1700  the  famous  Diderot  met  him  at 
Paris,  cheerful  and  full  of  anecdote,  though  wretchedly 
shattered  by  his  wounds.     Pic  died  a  few  years  later. 

On  the  night  after  the  battle  the  veomcn  warriors  felt 
the  truth  of  the  saying  that,  next  to  defeat,  the  saddest 
thing  is  victory.  Comrades  and  friends  by  scores  lay 
scattered  througli  the  forest.  As  soon  as  he  could  snatch 
a  moment's  leisure,  the  overworked  surgeon  sent  the 
dismal  tidings  to  his  wife  :  "  My  dear  brother  Ephraira 
was  killed  by  a  ball  through  his  head  ;  poor  brother 
Josiah's  wound  I  fear  will  prove  mortal  ;  ])()or  Captain 
Ilawley  is  yet  alive,  though  I  did  not  think  he  would 
live  two  hours  aftev  bringing  him  in."  Daniel  Pomeroy 
was  shot  dead  ;  and  his  brother  Seth  wrote  the  news 
to  his  wife  Rachel,  who  was  just  delivered  of  a  child  : 
"  Dear  Sister,  this  brings  heavy  tidings  ;  but  let  not 
your  heart  sink  at  the  news,  though  it  be  your  loss  of  a 
dear  husband.  Monday  the  eighth  instant  was  a  mem- 
orable day  ;  and  truly  you  may  say,  had  not  the  Lord 
been  on  our  side,  we  must  all  have  been  swallowed  up. 
My  brother,  being  one  that  went  out  in  the  first  engage- 
ment, received  a  fatal  shot  through  the  middle  of  the 
head."  Seth  Pomei'oy  found  a  moment  to  write  also  to 
his  own  wife,  whom  he  tells  that  another  attack  is  ex- 
pected ;  adding,  in  quaintly  pious  phrase  :  "  But  as  Cod 
hath  begun  to  show  mercy,  I  hope  he  will  go  on  to  be 
gracious."  Pomeroy  was  employed  during  the  next  few 
days  with  four  hundred  men  in  what  he  cnlls  '"-  the 
melancholy  piece  of  business"  of  burying  the  dead.  A 
letter-writer  of  the  time  does  not  approve  what  was  done 


k 


^^ 


B 


i 


38  LAKE    GEOllGE    AND    LAKE    CHAMPLAIN. 


I 


on  this  occasion.  "  Our  i)Coplo,"  lie  says,  "  not  only 
buried  the  French  dead,  but  buried  as  many  of  them  as 
mip;ht  be  witliout  tlie  knowledge  ol'  our  Indians,  to  j)re- 
vent  their  being  scalped.  This  1  call  an  excess  of  civil- 
ity ;  "  his  reason  being  that  Uraddock's  dead  soldiers 
had  been  left  to  the  wolves. 

The  I'^nglish  loss  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing  was 
two  hundred  and  sixty-two  ;  and  that  of  the  French,  by 
their  own  account,  two  hundred  and  twenty-eight,  —  a 
somewhat  modest  result  of  live  hours'  lighting.  The 
English  loss  was  chieily  in  the  aml)ush  of  the  morning, 
where  the  killed  greatly  outnumbered  the  W(jun<'  ', 
because  those  who  fell  and  could  not  be  carried  a. .ay 
were  tomahawked  by  Dieskau's  Indians.  In  the  fight 
at  the  camp,  both  Indians  and  (Canadians  kept  them- 
selves so  well  under  cover  that  it  was  very  dilTicult  for 
the  New  England  men  to  pick  them  off,  while  they  on 
their  part  lay  close  l)ehind  their  row  of  logs.  On  the 
French  side,  the  regular  olVicers  and  troo})S  bore  the 
brunt  of  the  battle  and  suffered  the  chief  loss,  nearly  all 
of  the  former  and  nearly  half  of  the  latter  being  killed 
or  wounded. 

Jolmson  did  not  follow  up  his  success.  He  says  that 
his  men  were  tired.  Yet  five  hundred  of  them  had 
stood  still  all  day,  and  boats  enough  for  their  transpor- 
tation Avero  lying  on  the  beach.  Ten  miles  down  the 
lake,  a  path  led  over  a  gorge  of  the  mountains  to  Soutli 
Bay,  where  Dieskau  had  left  his  canoes  and  provisions. 
It  needcnl  but  a  few  hours  to  reach  and  destroy  them  ; 
but  no  such  attempt  was  made.  Nor,  till  a  week  after, 
did  Johnson  send  out  scouts  to  learn  the  strength  of  the 
enemy  at  Ticonderoga.  Lyman  strongly  urged  him  to 
make  an  efTort  to  seize  that  important  ])ass  ;  but  Johnson 
tijought  only  of  holding  his  own  position.     "  I  think," 


BATTLE    OF    LAKE    GEOKGE. 


-39 


he  wrote,  "  we  may  expect  very  shortly  a  more  foriui- 
dable  attack."  He  made  a  solid  breastwork  to  deleiid 
his  camp;  and  as  reinforcements  arrived,  set  them  at 
building  a  fort,  which  he  named  Fort  William  Henry, 
on  a  rising  ground  by  the  hike.  It  is  true  that  just  after 
the  battle  he  was  delicient  iu  stores,  and  liad  not  bateaux 
enough  to  move  his  whole  force.  It  is  true,  also,  that 
he  was  wounded,  and  that  he  was  too  jealous  of  Lvman 
to  delegate  the  command  to  him ;  and  so  the  days  j)assed 
till,  within  a  fortnight,  his  nimble  enemy  were  intrenched 
at  Ticonderoga  in  force  enough  to  defy  him. 

The  Crown  Point  expedition  was  a  failure  disguised 
midcr  an  incidental  success. 


1 


4 

9 


A  WINTER  RAID. 


I   il 


'ITT'IIILE  Johnson  was  building  Fort  "William  Henry 
^^  at  one  end  of  Lake  George,  the  French  bc.i-an 
Fort  Ticonderoga  at  the  other,  though  they  did  not 
finish  it  till  the  next  year.  In  the  winter  of  1757, 
hearing  that  the  English  were  making  great  i)rei)ara- 
tions  at  Fort  William  Henry  to  attack  them,  they 
resolved  to  anticipate  the  blow  and  seize  that  })ost  by 
surprise.  To  this  end,  Vaudreuil,  Governor  of  Canada, 
sent  a  large  detachment  from  Montreal,  while  the  small 
body  of  troops  and  provincials  who  occupied  the  English 
fort  remained  wholly  ignorant  of  the  movement. 

On  St.  Patrick's  Day,  the  seventeenth  of  March,  the 
Irish  soldiers  wiio  formed  a  part  of  the  garrison  of  Fort 
William  Henry  were  paying  homage  to  their  patron 
saint  in  libations  of  heretic  rum,  the  i)roduct  of  New 
England  stills ;  and  it  is  said  that  John  Stark's  rangers 
forgot  theological  differences  in  their  zeal  to  share  the 
festivity.  The  story  adds  that  they  were  restrained 
by  their  commander,  and  that  their  enforced  sobriety 
proved  the  saving  of  the  fort.  This  may  be  doubted  ; 
for  without  counting  the  English  soldiers  of  the  garrison 
who  had  no  sj)ecial  call  to  be  drunk  that  day,  the  fort 
was  in  no  danger  till  twenty-four  hours  after,  when  the 
revellers  had  had  time  to  rally  from  their  pious  carouse. 
Whether  rangers  or  British  soldiers,  it  is  certain  that 
watchmen  were  on  the  alert  during  the  night  between 


t     :  i 

f   .'J 


A   WINTER   KAII). 


41 


tlio  cighteciitli  and  nineteenth,  and  that  towards  one  in 
the  morninijr  thev  heard  a  sonnd  of  axes  far  down  tlic 
hdve,  followed  by  the  faint  ghnv  of  a  distant  iire.  The 
inferenee  was  phiin,  that  an  enemy  was  there,  and  that 
the  necessity  of  Avarming  lumself  had  overcome  his  can- 
tion.  Tiicn  all  was  still  for  some  two  honrs,  when, 
listening  in  the  pitchy  darlaiess,  the  watchers  heard  the 
footsteps  of  a  great  body  of  men  approaching  on  the  ice, 
which  at  the  time  was  bare  of  snow.  The  garrison  were 
at  their  posts,  and  all  the  cannon  on  the  side  towards 
the  lake  vomited  grape  and  round-shot  in  the  direction 
of  the  sound,  which  thereafter  was  heard  no  more. 

Those  who  made  it  were  the  detachmeni,  called  by 
Vaudreuil  an  army,  sent  by  him  to  seize  the  English 
fort.  Shirley  had  planned  a  similar  stroke  against 
Ticonderoga  a  year  before  ;  but  the  provincial  levies  had 
come  in  so  slowly,  and  the  ice  had  broken  n|)  so  soon, 
that  the  scheme  was  abandoned.  Vaudreuil  was  more 
fortunate.  The  whole  force,  regulars,  Canadians,  and 
Indians,  was  ready  to  his  hand.  No  pains  were  s]»ared 
in  ccpiipping  them.  Overcoats,  blankets,  bearskins  to 
slee})  on,  tarpaulins  to  sleep  under,  sjjarc  moccasons, 
spare  mittens,  kettles,  axes,  needles,  awls,  flint  and 
steel,  and  many  miscellaneous  articles  were  i)rovided,  to 
be  dragged  bv  the  men  on  light  Indian  sledues,  along 
with  jirovisions  for  twelve  days.  The  cost  of  the  ex- 
pedition is  set  at  a  million  francs,  answering  to  more 
than  as  many  dollars  of  the  present  time;.  To  the  dis- 
gust of  the  oflicers  from  France,  the  (lovernor  named 
his  brother  Rigaud  for  the  chief  command;  and  before 
the  end  of  February  the  whole  party  was  on  its  march 
along  the  ice  of  Lake  Cbaniplain.  They  rested  nearly 
a  week  at  Ticonderoga,  where  no  less  than  three  hun- 
dred short  scaling-ladders,  so  constructed  that  two  or 


J 

i 
if 


42 


LAKE    GEORGE    AND    LAKE    CHAMPLAIX. 


i 


more  could  be  joined  in  one,  luid  been  made  for  them ; 
and  here,  too,  they  reecived  a  reinlorcument,  which 
raised  their  number  to  sixteen  liundi'ecl.  Then,  march- 
ing three  days  along  Lake  George,  they  neared  tlie  fort 
on  the  evening  of  the  eighteenth,  and  prepared  for  a 
general  assault  before  daybreak. 

'J'hc  garrison,  including  rangers,  consistent  of  three 
hundred  and  fortv-six  eficctive  men.  The  fort  was  not 
strong,  and  a  resolute  assault  by  numbers  so  suj)erior 
must,  it  seems,  have  overpowered  the  defenders  ;  but 
the  Canadians  and  Indians  who  composed  most  of  the 
attacking  force  were  not  suited  for  such  work ;  and, 
disa])pointed  in  his  ho])e  of  a  surprise,  Kigaud  withdrew 
them  at  davbreak,  after  ti'ving  in  vain  to  burn  the 
buildings  outside.  A  few  hours  after,  the  whole  body 
rea})peared,  filing  off  to  surround  the  fort,  on  which  they 
kei)t  \\\)  a  brisk  but  harndess  lire  of  musketry.  \\\  tlie 
night  they  wqyq  heard  again  on  the  ice,  approaching  as 
if  for  an  assault ;  and  the  cannon,  firing  towards  the 
somid,  airain  drove  them  back.  There  was  silence  for 
a  while,  till  tongues  of  flame  lighted  u})  the  gloom,  and 
two  sloops,  ice-bound  in  the  lake,  and  a  large  number  of 
bateaux  on  the  shore  were  seen  to  be  on  fire.  A  party 
sallied  to  save  them ;  but  it  was  too  late.  In  the 
morning  they  were  all  consumed,  and  the  enemy  had 
vanished. 

It  was  Sunday,  the  twentieth.  Everything  was  quiet 
till  noon,  when  the  French  filed  out  of  the  woods  and 
marched  across  the  ice  in  procession,  ostentatiously 
carrying  their  scaling-ladders,  and  showing  themselves 
to  the  best  effect.  They  stop))ed  at  a  safe  distance, 
fronting  towards  the  fort,  and  several  of  them  advanced, 
waving  a  red  flag.  An  olllcer  with  a  few  men  went  to 
meet  them,  and  returned  bringing  Le  Mercier,  chief  of 


li- 


A    WINTER    RAID. 


43 


the  Canadian  artillery,  who,  being  led  blindfuld  into  the 
fort,  annonnced  himself  us  bearer  of  a  message  from 
Rigaud.  lie  was  condueted  to  the  room  of  Major  Eyre, 
wiiere  all  the  British  ollieers  were  assembled;  and,  after 
nintnal  eomi)liments,  he  invited  them  to  give  u\)  the 
j)lacc  pcaeeably,  promising  the  most  favorable  terms, 
and  threatening  a  general  assanlt  and  massaere  in  ease 
of  refusal.  Eyre  said  that  he  should  d(>fend  himself  to 
the  last ;  and  the  envoy,  again  blindfolded,  was  led  back 
to  whence  he  came. 

The  whole  French  force  now  advanced  as  if  to  storm 
the  works,  and  the  garrison  prepared  to  receive  them. 
Nothing  came  of  it  but  a  fusillade,  to  which  the  British 
made  no  reply.  At  night  the  French  were  heard  ad- 
vancing again,  and  each  man  nerved  himself  for  the 
crisis.  The  real  attack,  however,  was  not  against  the 
fort,  but  against  the  buildings  outside,  which  consisted 
of  several  storehouses,  a  lios})ital,  a  saw-mill,  and  the 
huts  of  the  rangers,  besides  a  sloop  on  the  stocks  and 
piles  of  planks  and  cord-wood.  Covered  by  the  niglit, 
the  assailants  crept  up  with  fagots  of  resinous  sticks, 
j)laced  them  against  the  farther  side  of  the  buildings, 
kindled  them,  and  escaped  before  the  flame  rose ;  while 
the  garrison,  straining  their  ears  in  the  thick  darkness, 
fired  wherever  they  heard  a  sound.  Before  morning  all 
around  them  was  in  a  blaze,  and  they  had  much  ado  to 
save  the  fort  barracks  from  the  shower  of  burning 
cinders.  At  ten  o'clock  th(^  fires  had  subsided,  and  a 
thick  fall  of  snow  began,  filling  the  air  with  a  restless 
chaos  of  large  moist  flakes.  This  lasted  all  day  and  all 
the  next  night,  till  the  ground  and  the  ice  were  covered 
to  a  depth  of  three  feet  and  more.  The  French  lay 
close  in  their  camps  till  a  little  before  dawn  on  Tuesday 
morning,   when   twenty    volunteers   from    the    regulars 


ill 


I 


AM. 


ji 


44 


LAKE    GEOIIGE    AND   LAKE    CHAMPLAIN. 


I 


■11 

i 


made  a  bold  attempt  to  burn  the  sloop  (Jii  the  stocks, 
with  several  storehouses  and  other  structures,  and 
several  hundred  scows  and  whalebouts  which  had  thus 
far  escsiped.  They  were  only  in  part  successful ;  but 
they  fired  the  bloop  and  some  buildings  near  it,  and 
stood  far  out  on  the  ice  watching  the  flaming  vessel,  a 
superb  bonfire  amid  the  wilderness  of  snow.  The 
sf>ectacle  cost  the  volunteers  a  fourth  of  their  number 
killed  and  wounded. 

On  Wednesday  morning  the  sun  rose  bright  on  a 
scene  of  wintry  splendor,  alid  the  frozen  lake  was  dotted 
with  Rigaud's  retreating  followers  toiling  towards  Can- 
ada on  snow-shoes.  Before  they  reached  it  many  of 
them  were  blinded  for  a  while  by  the  insufferable  glare, 
and  their  comrades  led  them  homewards  by  the  hand. 


I 


SIEGE  AND   MAS.^ACRE  OF  FORT   WILLIAM 

HENRY. 


TTAVIN(J  ftiiloa  to  take  Fort  William  Henry  by  siir- 
-*■  -*•  prise,  the  Freueli  resolved  to  attack  it  with  all  the 
force  they  eould  bring  against  it,  and  in  the  snnmier  of 
17o7  the  Man|iiis  de  Montcalm  and  the  Chevalier  de 
Levis  advanced  against  it  with  about  eight  thousand  re<>- 
ulars,  Canadians,  and  Indians.  The  whole  assembled  at 
Ticonderoga,  where  several  weeks  were  sjjcnt  in  i)re])a- 
ration.  Provisions,  camp  equipage,  ammunition,  cannon, 
and  bateaux  were  dragged  by  gangs  of  men  up  the  road 
to  the  head  of  the  rapids.  The  work  went  on  through 
heat  and  rain,  by  day  and  night,  till,  at  the  end  of  July, 
all  was  done. 

Tlic  bateaux  lay  ready  by  the  shore,  but  could  not 
carry  the  whole  force;  and  Ldvis  received  orders  to 
march  by  the  side  of  the  lake  with  twenty-five  hundred 
men,  Canadians,  regulars,  and  Iro(iuois.  lie  set  out  at 
daybreak  of  the  thirtieth  of  July,  his  men  carrying  noth- 
ing but  their  knapsacks,  blankets,  and  weapons.  Guided 
by  the  unerring  Indians,  they  climbed  the  steep  gorge 
at  the  side  of  Rogers  Rock,  gained  the  valley  beyond, 
and  marched  southward  along  a  Mohawk  trail  which 
threaded  the  forest  in  a  course  parallel  to  the  lake.  The 
way  was  of  the  roughest;  many  straggled  from  the  line, 
and  two  officers  completely  broke  down.  The  first  des- 
tination of  the  party  was  the  mouth  of  Ganouskic  Bay, 


I 


Si 


40 


LAKi:  v.Konc.]:  and  lake  ciiamplaix. 


now  called  Ncjrlliwcst  Hay,  Avlicrc^  Ihcy  wci-c  tu  wait  for 
Aloiilcalin,  and  kindlt;  lliroo  liro.s  as  a  .si<;iial  that  tlicv 
had  reached  the  rendezvous. 

Montcalm  left  ii  detachment  to  hohl  Ticoudero^a ; 
and  then,  on  the  first  of  Angiist,  at  two  in  the  afternoon, 
he  embarked  at  tlie  Btirned  Camp  with  all  liis  remaining 
force.  Inclndin.ir  those  with  Levis, tlie  expedition  eonnted 
about  seven  thousand  six  hundred  men,  of  wliom  more 
than  sixteen  liuudred  were  Indians.  At  five;  in  the 
afternoon  they  reached  tlie  place  where  the  Indians,  ^vho 
had  gone  on  before  the  rest,  were  smokint;  their  jtipes 
and  waiting  for  the  army.  The  red  warriors  endjarked, 
and  joined  tlu;  FrcMich  flotilla;  and  now,  as  evening  drew 
near,  "was  seen  one  of  those  ^vild  pageantries  of  -war 
Avhlch  l^ake  (leorgc  has  often  witnessed.  A  restless 
multitude  of  birch  canoes,  filled  with  ])ainted  savages, 
glided  by  shores  and  islands,  like  ti'oojjs  of  swinnning 
water-fowl.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  bateanx  came  next, 
moved  by  sail  and  oar,  some  bcai'ing  the  Canadian 
militia,  and  some  the  battalions  of  Old  France  in  trim 
and  gay  attire:  first,  La  Heine  and  Languedoc  ;  then 
tlic  colony  regtdars;  then  La  Sarrc  and  Cuienne;  then 
the  Canadian  brigade  of  Courtemanchc ;  th<>n  the  can- 
non and  mortars,  each  on  a  i)latform  snstainc^d  by  two 
bateanx  lashed  side  by  side,  and  rowed  by  the  militia  of 
Snint-Ours ;  then  the  battalions  of  Beam  and  Royal 
Ronssillon  ;  then  the  Canadians  of  Gaspe,  with  the  pro- 
vision-bateaux and  the  field-hospital ;  and,  lastly,  a  rear 
guard  of  regulars  closed  the  line.  So,  nnder  the  flush 
of  sunset,  they  held  their  course  along  the  romantic 
lake,  to  jtlay  their  part  in  the  historic  drama  that  lends 
a  stern  enchantment  to  its  fascinating  scenery.  They 
passed  the  Narrows  in  mist  and  darkness ;  and  whe::,  a 
little  before  dawn,  they  rounded  the  high  promontory  of 


k 


^ 


SIKGE    OK    FOKT    WILLIAM    llENUY.  47 

Toiijrtio  i\rt)un(ain,  tlioy  saw,  far  on  tlie  rij^lit,  thrct'  fiery 
sparks  shining  tlirough  the  gloom.  'riii'sc  were  the- 
signal-fn'cs  of  Luvis,  to  tuU  them  that  he  had  I'eaehed 
tlie  appointed  spot. 

Levis  had  arrived  the  evening  before,  after  his  hard 
march  through  tlie  sultrv  midsummer  forest.  His  men 
had  now  rested  for  a  niglit,  and  at  ten  in  the  morning 
ho  marched  again.  iMontealm  followed  at  noon,  and 
coasted  the  western  shore,  till,  towards  evening,  he  found 
L6vis  waiting  for  him  hy  the  margin  of  a  small  hay  not 
far  from  the  English  fort,  though  hidden  fi'om  it  hy  a 
projecting  j)oint  of  land.  Canoes  and  bateaux  were 
drawn  uj)  on  the  beach,  and  the  united  forces  made 
their  bivouac  together. 

The  earthen  mounds  of  Fort  William  Henry  still 
stand  by  the  brink  of  Lake  George;  and  seated  at  the 
sunset  of  an  August  day  under  the  ])ines  that  cover 
them,  one  gazes  on  a  scene  of  soft  and  soothing  beauty, 
where  dreamy  waters  reflect  the  glories  of  the  moun- 
tains and  the  skv.  As  it  is  to-dav,  so  it  was  then ;  all 
breathed  repose  and  peace.  The  splash  of  some  leaping 
trout,  or  the  dipping  wing  of  a  j)assing  swallow,  alone 
disturbed  the  summer  calm  of  that  unruffled  miri'or. 

About  ten  o'clock  at  night  two  boats  set  out  from  the 
fort  to  reconnoitre.  They  were  passing  a  j)oint  of  land 
on  their  left,  two  miles  or  more  down  the  lake,  when 
the  men  on  board  descried  through  the  gloom  a  strange 
object  against  the  bank;  and  they  rowed  towards  it  to 
learn  what  it  might  be.  It  was  an  awning  over  the  ba- 
teau that  carried  Roubaud  and  his  brother  missionaries. 
As  the  rash  oarsmen  drew  near,  the  bleating  of  a  sheej) 
in  one  of  the  French  provision-boats  warned  them  of 
danger;  and  turning,  they  pulled  for  their  lives  towai'ds 
the  eastern  shore.      Instantlv  more   than  a  thousand 


19  ■ 


48 


LAKE   GEORGE   AND   LAKE    CILVMPLAIN. 


If'' 


iiuliiins  threw  tlicmsclvcH  Into  their  ciinocs  und  dashed 
in  hot  pursuit,  niakin;^  the  lake  and  tiie  mountains  rinii: 
with  tlio  diu  of  (heir  war-whoops.  The  I'uiiitives  had 
nearly  reached  hind  when  their  pursuers  oj»ened  (ire. 
Tlu'y  repUed ;  shot  oiu;  Indian  dead,  and  wounded 
another;  tlien  snatched  their  oars  again,  and  gained  the 
beach.  Hut  tlie  whole  savage  crew  was  upon  them. 
Several  were  killed,  three  were  taken,  and  the  rest  es- 
cai)ed  in  the  dark  woods.  The  prisoners  were  brought 
before  Montcalm,  and  gave  him  valuable  information  of 
the  strength  and  ))osition  of  the  English.^ 

The  Indian  who  was  killed  was  a  noted  chief  of  tho 
Xijiissings  ;  and  his  tribesmen  howled  in  grief  for  their 
bereavement.  They  painted  his  face  with  vermilion,  tied 
feathers  in  his  hair,  hung  jiendants  in  his  cars  and  nose, 
clad  him  in  a  resplendent  war-dress,  put  silver  bracelets 
on  his  arms,  hung  a  gorget  on  his  breast  with  a  ilamo- 
colored  ribbon,  and  seated  him  in  state  on  the  top  of  a 
hillock,  with  his  lance  in  his  hand,  his  gun  in  the  hollow 
of  his  arm,  his  tomahawk  in  his  belt,  and  his  kettle  by 
his  side.  Then  thev  all  crouched  about  him  in  luuubri- 
ous  silence.  A  funeral  harangue  followed ;  and  next  a 
song  and  solemn  dance  to  the  thumping  of  the  Indian 
drum.  In  the  gray  of  the  morning  they  buried  him  as 
he  sat,  and  i)laced  food  in  the  grave  for  his  journey  to 
the  land  of  souls. 

As  the  sun  rose  above  the  eastern  mountains  tho 
French  camp  was  all  astir.  The  column  of  Ldvis,  with 
Indians  to  lead  the  way,  moved  through  the  forest 
towards  the  fort,  and  Montcalm  followed  with  the  main 

1  The  remains  of  Fort  William  Henry  are  now  crowded  bef^'- 
hotel  and  the  wliarf  and  station  ol  a  railway.     A  scheme  lias  .t 

on  foot  to  level  the  whole  for  c flier  railway  structures.  Wiiei.  first 
knew  the  place  the  ground  was  in  much  the  same  state  as  hi  the  tunc  of 
Montcalm. 


m 


i 


I?  i  1 


111 


iiJ 


s 


I'   i 


'f  '      I-..     I 


tl 

i  li  n 


SIEGE    OF    FORT    WII  LIAM    IIENUY. 


40 


body  ;  then  the  artillery  boats  rounded  the  point  that 
had  hid  them  from  the  sight  of  the  English,  saluting 
them  as  thev  did  so  with  niuskctrv  and  cannon;  while 
a  host  of  savages  put  out  ui»ou  the  lake,  ranged  their 
canoes  abreast  in  a  line  from  shore  to  shore,  and  ad- 
vanced slowly,  with  measured  paddle-strokes  and  yells 
of  defiance. 

The  position  of  the  enemy  was  full  in  sight  beft^i-e 
them.  At  the  head  of  tlic  lake,  towards  the  right,  stood 
the  fort,  close  to  the  edge  of  the  water.  On  its  left  was 
a  marsli  ;  then  the  rough  piece  of  gi-ound  where  Johnson 
had  encamped  two  years  before ;  then  a  low,  Hat,  rocky 
hill,  crowned  with  an  intrenched  camp;  and,  lastly,  on 
the  extreme  left,  another  marsh.  Far  around  the  fort 
and  i\\)  the  slopes  of  the  western  mountain  the  forest  had 
been  cut  down  and  bmned,  and  the  ground  was  cumbered 
with  blackened  stumps  and  charred  carcasses  and  liml)s 
of  fallen  trees,  strewn  in  savage  disorder  one  upon 
another.  Distant  shouts  and  war-cries,  the  clatter  of 
musketry,  white  ])ul'fs  of  smoke  in  the  dismal  clearing 
and  along  the  scorched  edge  of  the  bordering  forest,  told 
that  Levis'  Indians  were  skirmishing  with  parties  of  the 
English,  who  had  gone  out  to  save  the  cattle  roiiming  in 
the  neiirhborhood,  and  burn  some  out-bulldinus  that 
would  have  favored  the  ()esiegers.  Others  were  taking 
down  the  tents  that  stood  on  a  plateau  near  the  foot  of 
the  mountain  on  the  right,  and  nutving  them  to  the 
intrenehment  on  tlu^  hill.  The  garrison  sallied  from 
the  fort  to  support  their  comrades,  and  for  a  time  the 
firing  was  hot. 

Fort  William  Henry  was  an  irregular  hastioned  square, 
formed  by  embankments  of  gravel  surmounted  by  a 
ram|tr:-t  of  heavy  logs,  laid  in  tiers  crossed  one  upon 
another,  the  interstices  filled  with  earth.     The  lake  pro- 


iij 


li;  ■ 


50 


LAKE    GEOIIGE    AND    LAKE    CHAMPLAIN. 


tcctcd  it  on  tlio  north,  tlic  marsh  on  the  cast,  and  ditches 
with  rhevaux-dc-frlse  on  the  south  and  wc^st.  Seventeen 
cannon,  great  and  small,  besides  several  mortars  and 
swivels,  were  mounted  ujion  it ;  and  a  brave  Scotch 
veteran,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Monro,  of  the  thirty-fifth 
regiment,  was  in  command. 

General  Weld)  lay  fourteen  miles  distant  at  Fort  Ed- 
ward, with  twenty-six  hundred  men,  chielty  provincials. 
On  the  tw(Mitv-lii"th  of  Julv  he  had  made  a  visit  to  Fort 
William  Henry,  examined  the  place,  given  some  orders, 
and  returned  on  the  twenty-ninth.  He  then  wrote  to 
the  Goveinor  of  Xew  York,  telling  him  that  the  French 
were  certainly  coming,  begging  him  to  send  up  the 
militia,  and  saying:  "  1  am  determined  to  march  to  Fort 
William  Henry  with  the  whole  army  under  my  command 
as  s<M)n  as  I  shall  hoar  of  the  farther  aj)proach  of  the 
enemy."  Instead  of  doing  so  he  waited  three  days,  and 
then  sent  up  a  detachment  of  two  hundred  regulars 
under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Young,  and  eight  hundred 
Massachus(>tts  men  under  Colonel  Fryc.  This  raised 
the  force  at  the  lake  to  two  thousand  an  i  two  hundred, 
iiududing  sailors  and  mechanics,  and  reduced  that  of 
Webb  to  sixteen  hundred,  besides  half  as  many  more 
distributed  at  Albany  and  the  intervening  forts.  Tf, 
according  to  his  spirited  intention,  he  should  go  to  the 
rescue  of  Monro,  he  must  leave  some  of  his  troops  behind 
him  to  ])rotect  the  lower  posts  from  a  possible  French 
inroad  by  way  of  South  Bay.  Thus  his  power  of  aiding 
Monro  was  slight,  so  rashly  had  Loudon,  intent  on 
Louisbourg,  left  this  frontier  open  to  attack.  The  defect, 
however,  was  as  nnich  in  Webb  himself  as  in  his  re- 
sources. His  conduct  in  the  past  year  had  raised  doubts 
of  his  personal  courage ;  and  this  was  the  moment  for 
answering  them.     Great  as  was  the  disparity  of  numbers, 


(\ 
(1 

a, 


ct, 


Irc- 


SIEGE    OF    FORT    Vv'ILLIAM    HENRY. 


r»l 


the  emerjrcncy  woiiltl  liavc  justified  an  att(Mnpt  to  save 
Monro  at  any  risk.  That  oflicor  sent  liini  a  liasty  note, 
written  at  nine  o'elock  on  the  mornint^  of  the  tliird, 
telling  liini  that  the  French  were  in  sight  on  the  lake; 
and,  in  the  next  niglit,  three  rangers  came  to  Fort 
Edward,  bringing  another  short  note,  dated  at  six  in  tlie 
evening,  announcing  that  the  llring  had  begun,  and  clos- 
ing with  the  words :  "  I  believe  you  will  think  it  |)roj)er 
to  send  a  reinforcenient  as  soon  as  possible/'  Now,  if 
ever,  was  the  time  to  move,  before  the  fort  was  invested 
and  access  cut  off.  IJut  Webb  lay  (juiet,  sending  ex- 
presses to  New  England  for  lielp  which  could  not  possibly 
arrive  in  time.  On  the  next  night  another  note  came 
from  Monro  to  say  that  the  French  were  upon  him  in 
great  numbers,  well  sui)plied  with  artillery,  but  that  the 
garrison  were  all  in  good  spirits.  "  I  make  no  doul»t," 
wrote  the  hard-pressed  olhcer,  "  that  you  will  soon  scFid 
us  a  reinforcement ;  "  and  again  on  the  same  day  :  "  Wo 
are  very  certain  that  a  part  of  the  enemy  have  got  be- 
tween you  and  us  upon  the  high  road,  aud  would  there- 
fore be  glad  (if  it  meets  with  your  approbation)  the 
whole  army  was  marched.'"     But  AVc^bb  gave  no  sign. 

When  the  skirmishing  around  the  fort  was  over.  La 
Corne,  with  a  body  of  Indians,  occupied  the  road  that 
led  to  Fort  Edward,  and  Ldvis  encamj)ed  hard  by  to 
support  him.  while  ^fontcalm  proceedinl  to  examine  the 
ground  and  settle  his  [)lan  of  .  ttack.  ITe  made  his  way 
to  the  rear  of  the  intrenched  cam[>  and  reconnoitred  it, 
hoping  to  carry  it  by  assault ;  but  it  had  a  breastwork 
of  stones  and  logs,  and  he  thought  the  attempt  too  haz- 
ardous. The  ground  where  he  stood  was  that  where 
Dieskau  had  been  defeated  ;  and  as  the  fate  of  his  pre- 
decessor was  not  of  flattering  augury,  he  resolved  to 
besiege  the  fort  in  form. 


|1 

ii 


•t 


.J. 


LAKE    (JIKOUGE    AND    LAKE    CJLVMPLAIX. 


I   \ 


He  I'liose  for  the  sito  of  his  optM-al ions  the  ground 
now  fovorod  bv  Ihc  villii<j;(;  of  Culdwcll.  A  litth'  to  the; 
nortli  of  it  w;is  u  iMvinc,  beyond  whieii  h(^  I'ornied  liis 
niiiin  (Mnip,  while  Ldvis  oceii|>ied  a  trnet  of  dry  {rround 
Ix'side  the  marsh,  whence  lie  eonld  easily  move  lo  inler- 
cept  snceors  fi'oni  Foit  lulward  on  the  one  hand, or  repel 
a  sortie  from  Fort  William  Henry  on  the  oilier.  A  brook 
ran  down  the  ravine  and  entered  the  \i\kv  at  a  small 
cove  protected  from  tlu^  lire  of  tlie  fort  by  a  jioinl  of 
hind;  and  at  this  place,  still  calbnl  Artillery  Cove, 
Monti'alm  j)repared  to  debark  liis  cannon  and  mortars. 

Ilavin,;;-  made  his  jtri'parations,  lie  sent  Fontbrune,  one 
of  his  aides-de-camp,  with  a  lett(M-  to  Monro.  "  I  owe  it 
to  hiimauitv,"  lu'  wrote,  "to  summon  vou  to  surrender. 
At  present  1  can  restiM'  i  the  savaires,  Jind  make  them 
observe  the  terms  of  a  capitidation,  as  1  miu'ht  not  hav(^ 
power  to  do  under  other  circmnstances  ;  and  an  obstinate 
defence  on  your  part  could  only  relai'd  the  caj)tui'e  of  tlu; 
place  a  few  days,  and  endae  rer  an  unfortunate  pin-ison 
which  cannot  be  relieved,  in  conse(pience  of  the  dis|iosi- 
tions  I  have  made.  1  demand  a  ilecisive  answer  within 
an  hour."  Monro  replied  that  he  and  his  soldiers  would 
dtM'end  themselves  to  the  last.  Whih'  the  lla.u's  of  truci>, 
were  tlyinu',  the  Indians  swarmed  over  the  fields  before 
tlie  fort;  and  when  they  learned  the  result,  an  Abenaki 
chief  shouted  in  broken  French  :  '*  Vou  won't  surrender, 
eh  I  Fire  away  then,  and  tiirht  your  best ;  for  if  1  catch 
vou,  vou  shall  u:et  no  (inarter."'  ^donro  emphasized  his 
refusal  by  a  j:"eneral  discharijt^  of  his  cannon. 

The  treiu'hes  were  oju'iied  on  the  niulit  of  the  fourth, 
— a  task  of  extreme  diniculty,as  the  jiround  was  covered 
by  a  profusion  of  half-burned  stumps,  roots,  branches, 
and  fallen  trunks.  Eight  hundred  men  toiled  till  day- 
light with  pick,  spade,  and  axe,  while  the  cannon  from 


If 


SIEGE    OF    FORT    WfLLIAM    IIEXIIY. 


53 


'^i 


the  fort  lliisli(!(i  tliroiij^li  tlu;  darkiiuss,  and  fj^rapn  and 
round-shot  whistled  and  screamed  over  the'ir  licads. 
Sonio  of  the  Kn^lish  halls  reached  (he  camp  heyoiid  the 
ravine,  and  distiirhed  <he  slumhers  of  the  ollicers  off 
duty,  as  they  lay  vvnipped  in  their  hhmkets  and  hear- 
skins.  Before  dayhreak  the  (irst  parallel  was  made;  a 
hattery  was  nearly  finished  on  the  left,  and  another  was 
he<ijun  on  the  rii^ht.  The  men  now  workiid  umhn-  cover, 
safe  in  their  hnrrows ;  one  ^ang  relieved  another,  and 
the  work   went  on  all  diiy. 

Th(^  Indians  were  far  from  doing  what  was  expected 
of  them.  lnst(^ad  of  scouting  in  the  direction  of  Fort 
Kdward  to  learn  the  movements  of  tlie  enemy  and  pre- 
vent sur[>rise,  they  loitered  ahout  the;  camp  and  in  the 
trenchi's,  or  amused  themselves  hy  firing  at  the  fort 
from  hehind  stumps  and  logs.  Some,  in  imitation  of 
the  French,  thig  little  trenches  for  themselves,  in  whi(;h 
they  wormed  tiieir  way  towards  the  rami)ai't,  and  now 
and  then  picked  off  an  artillery-man, not  without  loss  on 
their  own  side.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  fifth,  Montcalm 
invited  them  to  a  council,  gave  them  helts  of  wampum, 
and  mildlv  remonstrated  with  tlnnn.  "  Whv  exijose 
yourselves  without  necessity  ?  T  grieve  hittei'ly  over  the 
losses  that  you  have  met,  for  the  least  amonir  you  is 
precious  i6  nic.  No  douht  it  is  a  good  thintr  to  annoy 
the  English  ;  hut  that  is  not  the  main  |>oint.  You  ought 
to  inform  me  of  everything  the  enemy  is  doing,  and 
always  ke(>p  ])Jirties  on  the  load  hetween  the  two  forts." 
An«l  he  gently  hinted  that  theii-  place  was  not  in  his 
camp,  hut  in  that  of  Levis,  where  missionaries  w«M'e 
provided  for  such  of  them  as  were  Christians,  and  food 
and  ammunition  for  them  all.  They  promised,  with 
excellent  docility,  to  do  everything  he  wished,  hut 
added  that  there  was  something  on  their  hearts.     Being 


w 


f:t 


■l  ht-^ 


54 


LAKK    GKOUGE    AND    LAKE    CIIAMPLAIN. 


ciU'onra<j:<Ml  to  relievo  tlu'ins(;lves  of  tho  bunion,  thcv 
coMiplaiiuMl  tliat  tlioy  luul  not  boon  consultod  as  to  tho 
niana^oni(!iit,  of  tbo  sioj^o,  but  woro  oxpoctod  to  oboy 
orders  like  slaves.  "  Wo  know  more  about  ligliting  in 
the  woods  than  you,"  said  their  orator;  "  ask  our  advice, 
and  you  will  bo  the  better  for  it." 

Montoalin  assured  them  that  if  they  had  been  nog- 
looted,  it  was  oidy  through  the  hurry  and  confusion  of 
the  time;  expressed  hiiih  ap|)reoiation  of  their  talents 
for  bush-lijihtint^,  prouiisod  them  ani])io  satisfaction,  and 
ended  by  toUinu;  them  tiiat  in  the  niorniniL>:  they  shouhl 
hoar  tho  big  guns.  This  greatly  pleased  them,  for  they 
were  extremely  imj)ationt  for  the  artillery  to  begin. 
About  smiriso  the  battery  of  the  loft  opened  with  (Mght 
lumvy  cannon  and  a  mortar,  joined,  on  the  next  morn- 
ing, by  the  battery  of  the  right,  with  eleven  pieces 
more.  The  fort  replied  with  sj)irit.  The  cannon  thun- 
dered all  day,  and  from  a  hundred  jxniks  and  cruus  tho 
astoiiishod  wild(M-n(>ss  roared  back  tho  sound.  The  Ind- 
ians were  delighted.  They  wanted  to  point  tho  guns ; 
and  to  humor  them,  thev  wore  now  and  then  allowed 
to  do  so.  Others  lay  behind  logs  and  fallen  trees,  and 
yelled  their  satisfaction  when  they  saw  tho  splinters 
lly  from  tho  wood«'n  rampart. 

Day  aft(>r  day  th(>  woiiry  roar  of  the  distant  cannonade 
fell  on  the  oars  of  Webb  in  his  camp  at  Fort  Edward. 
"  1  have  not  yet  received  tho  least  reinforcement,"  ho 
writes  to  Loiulon  ;  ^  this  is  tho  disagreeable  situation  wo 
are  at  present  in.  The  fort,  by  the  heavy  fii-ing  we  hear 
from  the  lake,  is  still  in  our  ))ossession ;  but  I  fear  it 
cannot  long  hold  out  against  so  warm  a  cannonading 
if  I  am  not  reinforced  by  a  sutVicient  number  of  militia 
to  march  to  their  relief."  Tho  militia  were  coming; 
but  it  was  impossible  that  many  could  reach  him  in  less 


SIEGE    OF    FOIiT    WILLIAM    HENRY. 


55 


than  a  week.  Those;  from  New  York  alonu  vvcro  within 
call,  and  two  tlioiisand  of  thcni  arrived  soon  after  ho 
sent  London  the  above  letter.  Then,  by  8tiij)|>ing  all 
the  forts  below,  he  could  brini^  toj^ether  forty-live  hun- 
dred men;  while  several  French  des(3rters  assured  him 
that  Montcalm  had  nearly  twelve  thousand.  To  iidvance 
to  the  relief  of  Monro  with  a  force  so  inferior,  throu.<,di 
a  deliloof  rocks,  forests,  and  mountains,  mad(;  by  naturt; 
for  ambuscades,  —  and  this  loo  with  troojts  who  had 
neither  the  steadiness  of  rey-ulars  nor  the  bush-li<rhtin<r 
skill  of  Indians,  —  was  an  enterprise  for  firmer  nerve 
than  his. 

He  had  already  warned  Monro  to  exjM'ct  no  helj)  from 
him.  At  midni.irht  of  tlie  fourth,  (.'iiptain  IJartman,  his 
aide-de-cani]),  wrote:  ''The  (Jeneral  has  ordered  me  to 
ac(juaint  you  he  does  not  thiidv  it  |)rudent  to  attem|»t  a 
junction  or  to  assist  you  till  reinforced  by  the  militia 
of  the  colonies,  for  the  immediate  march  of  which  re- 
peated exjtresses  have;  been  sent."  The  letter  then 
declared  that  the  French  were  in  comj)lete  possession 
of  the  road  l>etween  the  two  foi'ts,  that  a  prisoner  just 
broufiht  in  reported  their  force  in  men  and  camion  to 
be  very  ^reat,  and  that,  unless  tin;  militia  came  soon, 
Monro  had  better  make  what  teiins  he  could  with  the 
enemy. 

The  chance  was  small  that  this  letter  would  reach  its 
destination ;  and  in  fact  the  bearer  was  killeil  l)y  La 
Corne's  Indians,  who,  in  strippini^  the  body,  found  the 
hidden  paper,  an<l  carried  it  to  the  (Jeneral.  Montcalm 
kept  it  several  days,  till  the  Fnulish  rampart  was  half 
battered  down;  and  then,  after  saluting  his  enemy  with 
a  volley  from  all  his  cannon,  he  sent  it  with  a  graceful 
compliment  to  Monro.  It  was  IJougainville  who  carried 
it,  preceded  by  a  drummer  and  a  Hag.     lie  was  met  at 


^"f 


.■■  i* 


56 


LAKE    GEOIKJE    AND    I^VKE    CIIAMPLAIN. 


b    a  \ 


the  foot  of  the  ^hicis,  hliudloUk'd,  ami  led  tlin)ii;^h  tlio 
fort  and  ulonj^  tlio  cdjii'  of  the  lake  to  the  iuticniohrd 
cuinp,  whcie  Monro  was  at  the  time.  "  llo  returned 
many  thanks,"  writes  the  emissary  in  his  Diary,  "for 
th(!  courtesy  of  our  nation,  ami  protested  his  joy  at 
liavinjjj  to  do  witii  so  generous  an  enemy.  This  was 
liis  answer  to  tiie  Marquis  de  Montealm.  Then  they  h'd 
me  hack,  alwa\s  with  eves  biinch^d  ;  and  our  battcn'ies 
began  to  fire  again  ah  soon  as  we  thought  tliat  the  l<]ng- 
Usli  gronadi«Ms  wIjo  escorted  me  had  had  time  to  re-enter 
tlie  fort.  1  liopc  (Jeneral  Webb's  letter  may  induce  tiie 
English  to  surrender  tlu;  sooner." 

By  this  time  the  sappei-s  had  worked  their  way  to  the 
angle  of  the  lake,  where  they  were  stoi»petl  l)y  a  marshy 
hollow,  bevond  which  was  a  tract  of  higii  around,  reach- 
ing  to  the  fort  and  serving  as  the  garden  of  tiie  garrison.^ 
Logs  and  fascines  in  large  (piantities  were  thrown  into 
the  hollow,  {ind  hurdles  were  laid  over  them  to  form  a 
causeway  for  the  cannon.  Then  the  sop  was  continued 
n[)  tiie  acclivity  beyond,  a  trench  was  oj)ened  in  the 
garden,  and  a  battery  begun,  not  two  liundred  and  fifty 
yards  from  the  fort.  The  Indians,  in  great  number, 
crawled  forward  among  the  beans,  maize,  and  cabbages, 
and  lav  there  ensconced.  On  the  niuht  of  the  seventh, 
two  men  came  out  of  the  fort,  a]>parently  to  reconnoitre, 
with  a  view  to  a  sortie,  when  they  were  greeted  by  a 
general  volley  ami  a  burst  of  yells  which  echoed  amcmg 
the  mountains;  followed  by  responsive  whoops  j)ealing 
through  the  darkness  from  the  various  camps  and  lurk- 
ing-places of  the  savage  warriors  far  and  ncjar. 

The  position  of  the  besieged  was  now  deplorable. 
More  than  three  hundred  of  them  had  lieen  killed  and 

'  Now  the  site  of  Fort  William  Ilonry  Hotel,  with  its  grounds.     The 
hollow  is  partly  filled  by  the  main  road  of  Caldwell. 


■•;- 


sie(;k  of  fort  william  henry. 


woiimlod  ;  siunll-pox  was  riiL^iiiLT  in  tin;  fort;  the  place 
was  a  t'uc'us  of  iiil'cctioii,  and  llic  casemates  were  crowded 
with  tlu!  sick.  A  sortie  i'roiii  the  intrenched  camp  and 
another  from  tiie  fort  had  hcen  repulsed  with  loss.  All 
their  larjxe  cannon  and  mortars  had  hcen  hnrst,  or  dis- 
ahled  hy  shot  ;  only  seven  small  pieces  were  left  lit  for 
service;  and  the  whole  of  Montcalm's  thirty-on(»  cannon 
and  fifteen  mortars  and  howitzers  would  soon  open  lii'o, 
while  the  walls  were  already  hreached,  an<l  an  assault 
was  imminent.  Throuj^h  the  nijzht  of  the;  eiuhth  they 
fired  hriskly  from  all  their  remaininir  pi(>ces.  In  the 
morniiiir  the  ollicers  held  a  couin  il,  and  all  ajrreed  to 
surrender  if  hoiiorahh;  terms  could  he  had.  A  white 
tlasi:  was  raised,  a  drum  was  heat,  and  Ijieutenant-(/olonel 
YounL^  mountetl  on  horsehaek,  —  for  a  shot  in  tin;  foot 
liad  disai)led  him  fiMun  walkinir,  —  went,  followed  hy  a 
few  soldiers,  to  the  tent  of  Montcalm. 

It  was  a<;reed  that  the  Kniilish  trooj»s  sliould  marcli 
out  with  the  honors  of  war,  and  he  escorted  i<>  Fort 
Edward  hy  a  detachment  of  French  troops;  that  tliey 
should  not  sei've  for  eighteen  months;  and  that  all 
French  prisoners  captured  in  America  since  tin;  war 
heiran  should  he  uiveu  up  within  three  months.  The 
stores,  munitions,  and  artillery  were  to  he  the  prize  of 
the  victors,  except  one  field-piece,  which  tlie  u'arrison 
were  to  I'ctain  in   I'ecoLniition  of  their  hi-ave  defence. 

l>cfoi'e  siu'iiinu"  the  cajtitulation  Montcalm  called  the 
Indian  chiefs  to  council,  and  asketl  them  to  (Consent  to 
tlie  cididitions,  and  ])roinise  to  restrain  thrir  younjr 
warriors  from  any  disorder.  They  iipproved  eveiythinir 
and  ))romised  everythiuir.  Th(>  ^^arrison  then  evacuated 
the  fort,  and  marched  to  join  their  comrades  in  the 
intrenchecl  camp,  wliich  was  included  in  the  surren- 
der.    No  sooner  were  thev  <rone  than  a  crowd  of  Indians 


■!f 


i* 


68         LAKE    GEORGE   AND   LAKE   ClIAMPLAIN. 

cliimhorcd  tliroiiuli  the  embrasures  in  search  of  rinii 
and  plunder.  All  the  sick  men  unable  to  leave  tluiir 
beds  were  instantly  butchered,  "i  was  witness  of  this 
spectacle,"  says  the  niissivjnary  Roubaud  ;  "1  saw  one 
of  these  barbarians  come  out  of  the  casemates  with  a 
human  head  in  his  hand,  from  which  the  blood  ran  in 
streams,  and  which  he  paraded  as  if  Ik;  had  f^ot  the 
finest  prize  in  the  world."  There  was  little  left  to 
plunder;  and  the  Indians,  joined  by  the  more  lawless  of 
the  (Canadians,  turned  their  attention  to  the  intrenched 
camp,  where  all  the  Enu'lish  were  now  collected. 

The  French  uruard  stationed  there  could  not  or  would 
not  keep  out  the  rabble.  By  the  advice  of  Montcalm 
the  r^njrlish  stove  their  rum-barrels;  but  the  Indians 
were  drunk  already  with  homicidal  rage,  and  the  glitter 
of  their  vicious  eyes  told  of  the  devil  within.  They 
roamed  among-  the  tents,  intrusive,  insolent,  their  vis- 
ages besmirched  with  war-[)aint;  grinning  like  fiends  as 
they  handled,  in  smticipation  of  the  knife,  the  long  hair 
of  cowering  women,  of  whom,  as  well  as  of  children, 
there  were  many  in  the  camp,  all  crazed  with  fright. 
Since  the  last  war  the  Xew  England  border  population 
luul  regarded  Indians  with  a  mixture  of  detestation  and 
horror.  Their  mysterious  warfare  of  ambush  and  sur- 
prise, their  midnight  onslaughts,  their  butcheries,  their 
burnings,  and  all  their  nameless  atrocities,  had  been  for 
years  the  theme  of  fireside  story  ;  and  the  dread  they 
excited  was  deepened  by  the  distrust  and  dejection  of 
the  time.  The  confusion  in  the  cam[)  lasted  through  the 
afternoon.  "  The  Indians,"  says  Bougainville,  "  wanted 
to  plunder  the  chests  of  the  English  ;  the  hitter  resisted; 
and  there  was  fear  that  serious  disorder  would  ensue. 
The  Marquis  de  Montcalm  ran  thither  immediately, 
and  used  every  means  to  restore  tranquillity :  prayers, 


SIEGE    OF    FORT    WILLIAM    IIENRV. 


59 


i  ; 


throats,  eurcssos,  intorposition  of  the  olliccra  and  iutor- 
pnjter.s  wiio  hav*;  aonu;  inlliiciico  over  those  savages." 
"  We  shall  be  but  too  ha[»|)y  if  we  can  prevent  a  nius- 
saere.  I)etestal)h;  j)osition  1  of  which  iKjliody  vvlio  has 
not  been  in  it  can  liave  any  idea,  and  which  makes 
vietorv  itself  a  sorrow  to  the  victors.  The  Maniuis 
spared  no  efforts  to  jircvent  the  rapacity  of  the  savages 
and,  I  nnist  say  it,  of  certain  persons  associated  witii 
them,  from  resultin<];  in  somelhini^  worse  than  plunder. 
At  last,  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  eveninj,^  order  seemed 
restored.  The  Marcpiis  even  induced  the  Indians  to 
promise  that,  besides  the  escort  agreed  upon  in  tiie 
capitulation,  two  chiefs  for  each  tribe  should  accom- 
pany the  English  on  their  way  to  Fort  Edward."  lie 
also  ordered  La  Coine  and  the  other  Canadian  oHicers 
attached  to  the  Indians  to  see  that  no  violence;  took 
place,  lie  might  well  have  dcme  more.  In  view  of  the 
disorders  of  the  afternoon,  it  would  not  have  been  too 
much  if  he  had  orden.'d  the  whole  body  of  regular  troops, 
whom  alone  he  could  trust  for  the  purpose,  to  hold 
themselves  ready  to  move  to  the  spot  in  case  of  out- 
break, and  shelter  their  defeated  foes  behind  a  hedge  of 
bayonets. 

IJougainvillc  was  not  to  see  what  ensued  ;  for  Montcalm 
now  sent  him  to  Montreal,  as  a  special  messenger  to 
carry  news  of  the  victory,  lie  embarked  at  ten  o'clock. 
Returning  daylight  found  him  far  down  tlu;  lake ;  and 
as  he  looked  on  its  still  bosom  flecked  with  mists,  and 
its  quiet  mountains  sleeping  under  the  flush  of  dawn, 
there  was  nothing  in  the  wild  tranquillity  of  tlu;  scene 
to  suggest  the  tragedy  which  even  then  was  beginning 
on  the  shore  he  had  left  behind. 

The  English  in  their  camp  had  passed  a  troubled 
night,  agitated   by    strange    rumors.      In   the    morning 


'.  ), 


i  1. 


k 


CO 


LAKP:    GEORGE    AND    LAKE    CHAM  PLAIN. 


sonictliiiij^^  lilvc  a  iianic.  sri/cd  them;  for  tlioy  (liHtru.stLMl 
not  the  Iiidiiius  onlv,  but  the  Ciiiiii(li;ins.  In  tlu'ir 
liiisto  to  In'  ^onv  they  jrot  tojjjotlicr  at  (laybrcak,  luv 
I'oj'o  till'  escort  of  tlirt'(!  liiiudrcd  rc^^iilarH  had  arrivccl. 
They  had  their  niiisUcts,  but  ii<»  ainiiiunitioii  ;  and  few 
(U'  none  of  the  iiroviiicials  had  bayonets.  Earlv  as  it 
Wiis,  the  Indiiins  were  on  the  idei't  ;  iin<l,  inder<i,  sinee 
michiit^lit  ^nvat  numbers  of  them  had  been  proulini; 
about  the  sivirts  of  tlie  eanip,  showinir,  says  Colonel 
Frye,  "  more  than  usual  malice  in  their  looks."  Seven- 
teim  woinuh'd  men  of  his  rei^imeiit  lav  in  huts,  nuidde 
to  join  the  march.  In  tlie  precediuijj  afternoon  Miles 
Wliitworlh,  the  regimental  surtreon,  had  jtassed  them 
over  to  the  care  of  a  French  surgeon,  accordinj!'  to  an 
au'reemeiit  niiide  lit  the  time  of  the  surrender  ;  but,  the 
Frenchman  being  al)scnt,  the  other  remained  with  them 
attending  to  their  wants.  The  French  surgeon  had 
caused  special  sentinels  to  be  posted  for  their  protection. 
These  wei'c  now  removed,  at  the  moment  when  tliev 
were  needed  most ;  nj)on  whicli,  about  live  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  the  Indians  entered  the  lints,  dragged  out  the 
inmates,  and  tomahawked  and  scalped  them  all,  before 
the  eyes  of  Whitworth,  and  in  presence  of  La  Corne 
and  other  Canadian  oHicers,  as  well  as  of  a  French  guard 
stationed  within  forty  feet  of  the  spot  ;  and,  declares  the 
surgeon  niKh'r  oath,  "  none,  either  olHcer  or  soldier,  pro- 
t<'cted  the  said  wounded  men."  The  opportune  butchery 
relieved  tliein  of  a  troublesome  burden. 

A  scene  of  i»lundering  now  began.  The  escort  had  by 
this  time  arrived,  and  Monro  complained  to  the  olheers 
that  tlie  eajiitnlation  was  broken  ;  but  got  no  other  an- 
swer than  advice  to  give  np  the  baggage  to  the  Indians 
in  order  to  aj>j»ease  them.  To  this  the  English  at  length 
agreed;  but  it  onlv  increased  the  excitement  of  the  mob. 


^^1 


SIEGE    OF    FOUT    WILLIAM    IIENKV 


61 


Thov  (Ic^innndt'd  rum:  aiul  some  of  tlio  soldicrH,  afnild  to 
ivluse,  ^'iivc  it  to  tlM'in  t'nnu  llu'ir  Ciiuti-cns,  thus  uddinu; 
tut  1  to  the  llnnu'.  Wlicn,  td'trr  mucli  dilliculty,  tlic  col- 
unin  at  last  ^ot  out  of  the  cauipaud  hruau  to  luovc  aloiuj: 
the  road  tliat  crossed  tlu'  rou^h  p'aiu  Itctwui'ii  llic  iu- 
tivui'liiucut  aud  the  forest,  tlic  ludians  crowded  upon 
tlicni,  inijK'dcd  tlicir  march,  snatched  caps,  coats,  aiul 
weapons  fiom  men  and  otiicei's,  tomahawked  tliose  tliat 
resistetl,  and  sci/.inj^  upon  shriekhi^"  wonu'U  ami  children, 
dniiTL^ed  them  off  or  nuu'dered  them  on  the  spot,  it  irt 
said  that  some  of  the  interpreters  secretly  fomente(l  the 
disorder.  Suddenly  there  rose  the  screeeli  of  the  war- 
whoop.  At  this  signal  yf  butchery,  which  was  ^iven  by 
Abenaki  Christians  from  the  mission  of  the  I'enobscot,  a 
mob  of  savages  rushed  upon  the  New  Hampshire  men  at 
tlio  rear  of  the  cohnnn,  and  killed  or  drairu'ed  awav  eiuhtv 
of  them.  A  frightful  tumult  ensued,  when  Montcalm, 
Levis,  nourlanuKpie,  and  many  other  French  oHicers,  who 
liad  hastened  from  their  Vamp  on  the  first  news  of  dis- 
turbance, threw  themselves  among  the  Indians,  and  by 
promises  and  threats  tried  to  allay  their  frenzy.  ''Kill 
me,  but  spare  the  English  who  are  under  iny  i)rolection," 
exclaimed  Montcalm.  He  took  from  one  (d"  them  a  young 
officer  whom  the  savage  had  seized  ;  upon  which  several 
other  Indians  inunediately  tomahawked  their  jiriscmers, 
lest  they  too  should  be  taken  from  them.  One  writer 
says  that  a  French  grenadier  was  killed  and  two  wounded 
in  attempting  to  restore  order;  but  the  statement  is  doubt- 
ful. The  English  seemed  paralyzed,  and  fortunately  did 
not  attempt  a  resistance,  which,  without  ammunition  as 
they  were,  would  have  ended  in  a  general  massacre. 
Their  broken  column  struggled  forward  in  wild  disorder, 
amid  the  din  of  whoops  and  shrieks,  till  they  reached 
the  French  advance-guard,  which  consisted  of  Canadians; 


62 


LAKE    GEORGE    AND    LAKE    CIIAMPLAIN. 


I 


i  4 


I 


and  licre  tlicv  (Icnmiuliul  luotcctioii  from  the  oflicors, 
who  refused  to  jj^ivc  it,  telling  them  that  they  must 
take  to  the  woods  and  shift  for  themselves.  Frvo  was 
seized  hy  a  uumlu'i-  of  Indians,  who,  hrandishing  spears 
and  tomahawks,  threatened  him  with  death  and  tore  off 
his  clothing,  leaving  nothing  but  breeches,  shoes,  and 
shirt.  lU'itelled  by  the  oHicers  of  the  guard,  he  made 
for  the  woods.  A  Connecticut  soldier  who  was  present 
says  of  him  that  lie  leaped  u|>on  an  Indian  who  stood  in 
];'■(  „ay,  disarmed  and  killetl  him,  and  tiien  escajK'd  ; 
})ut  Frye  himself  does  not  mention  the  incident.  Cajt- 
tain  Ihiike,  also  of  the  Massachusetts  regiment,  was 
stripped,  alter  a  vi(  lent  st'-uggle,  of  all  his  clotln^s;  tiien 
broke  loose,  gaine(  vhe  woods,  spent  the  night  shivering 
in  the  thick  grass  of  a  marsh,  aiid  on  the  next  day 
reached  Fort  Fdward.  Jonathan  Carver,  a  provincial 
volimteer,  declares  that,  when  the  tumult  was  at  its 
lieiuht,  he  saw  ollicers  of  the  French  armv  walkinir  about 
at  a  little  distance  and  talki\ig  with  seeming  unconcern. 
Tlp'ee  or  four  Indians  seized  him,  l)randished  their  toma- 
hawks over  his  head,  and  tore  ot'f  most  of  his  clothes, 
while  he  vainly  claieied  protection  from  a  sentinel,  who 
called  him  an  Fug) ish  dog,  and  violently  pushed  him 
back  among  his  toimentors.  Two  of  them  were  drag- 
ging him  towards  the  neighboring  swamp,  when  an 
Fnglish  oflicer,  stripped  of  evcrvthing  but  his  scarlet 
breeches,  ran  by.  One  of  Carver's  captors  sprang  npon 
him,  but  was  thrown  to  the  ground  ;  whereupon  the 
other  went  to  the  aid  of  his  comrade  and  drove  his 
tomahawk  into  the  back  of  the  Englishman.  As  Carver 
turned  to  run,  an  English  boy,  about  twelve  years  old, 
dung  to  him  and  begged  for  help.  They  ran  on  together 
for  a  moment,  when  the  boy  wos  seized,  dragged  from 
his  protector,  and,  as  Carver  judged  by  his  shrieks,  was 


r  ' 


SIEGE    OF    FORT    WILLIAM    HEXKY. 


63 


mur(lero<l.  He  liimsclf  cscapod  to  the  forest,  and  after 
three  days  of  famine  reached  Foit  Edward. 

The  bonds  of  disei|»line  seem  for  the  time  to  have 
been  comj)h!tcly  broken  ;  foi'  while  Montcahn  and  his 
chief  ollicers  nsed  everv  effort  to  restore  order,  even  at 
the  risk  of  their  lives,  manv  other  ofVieers,  chieflv  of  the 
militia,  failed  atrociously  to  do  their  <lnfy.  How  many 
Knglish  were  killed  it  is  impossible  io  toll  with  exact- 
ness. Uoubaud  savs  that  he  saw  fortv  or  fiftv  corpses 
scattered  about  the  field.  Levis  says  fifty  :  which  does 
not  incdude  the  sick  and  wounded  before  murdered  in  the 
camp  and  i(jrt.  It  is  certain  that  six  or  seven  hundred 
jiersoiis  were  can-ied  olT,  strip))e(l,  and  othei-wise  mal- 
treated. ^Montcalm  succeeded  in  reeoveiiuj^  more  than 
four  hundred  of  them  in  the  course  of  the  day;  and 
many  of  the  French  olTiccrs  did  what  they  could  to  re- 
lieve their  wants  bv  Imvinu'  l);iek  from  their  c:ii»tors  the 
clothintr  that  had  been  torn  from  them.  M;iny  of  the 
fu^ntivcs  hiid  taken  refuse  in  the  fort,  whither  Monro 
liimself  had  jrone  to  demand  protection  for  liis  fcjlhjwers; 
and  here  lioubaud  presently  found  a  crowd  of  half- 
frenzied  women,  crying  in  anjiuish  for  husl)auds  an<l 
children.  All  the  icfugees  and  redeemed  j)risoners  were 
afterwards  conducted  to  the  intrenched  camp,  where 
food  and  shelter  were  pi-ovidcd  for  them,  .  ud  a  stron<^ 
guard  set  for  their  protection  until  the  fifte(  aHi,  when 
they  were  sent  under  an  escoi-t  to  Fort  Edward.  Here 
cannon  had  been  fired  at  intervals  to  guide  those  who 
liad  fled  to  the  woods,  wdu_Micc  they  came  dropjdng  in 
from  dav  to  dav,  half  dead  with  fiunine. 

On  the  morning  after  the  massacre  the  Indians  de- 
camped in  a  body  and  sot  out  for  ^^ontreal,  carrying 
with  them  their  plunder  and  some  two  hundreil  j)ris- 
oners,  who,  it  is  said,  could  not  be  got  out  of  their  lianda. 


64 


LAKE    (JKOIIGE    AND    LAKE    Cli.VMlM.AIN. 


The  soldiiTs  \v(M-('  set  to  tiio  work  of  (Iciuolisliing  tlu« 
Knulisli  loll  ;  and  \\\o  task  occu|>i(Ml  scvcrjil  <|jivs.  'J'lio 
barrncks  were  (oi-ii  down,  ami  the  Inigc  |iin(*-lo.i!:s  of 
tlir  ranipiu-l  thrown  into  a  ht'ap.  T\\v  (had  bodies  tliat 
lilh'd   the  castMnatcs  wcro  achh^d  to  tljc  mass,  and  firo 


was   set   to  (he  whoh' 


Th 


rhtv  f 


all  niLnil, 


T] 


\v  nii<riny  Inncral  pyt 


•('  bla/cd 


icn.  on  the  sixtccntlj,  tlio  armv  rcimbarkod. 


'I'lu'  diuof  ten  tliousand  combatants,  the  ra,u:(\  tho  tci-ror, 
tlic  ajxony,  were  u'onc  :  and  no  livint?  thinu.-  was  left  bnt 
the  wolves  (hat  gathered  from  the  monntains  to  feast 
upon  the  ilead. 


nmSm 


i 


I! 


I  'I 


l:;  I 

• 


A., 1. 1.    L>il. 


'•MV.UP  i^;...      .,        .        "'     "-Ihh.M   „o,   f,n  hack 


»  '  >illl  ,'  J   '  •       ■■-        1  Mil 


fl 

.11 

fll 


■     t}io    S'.-V   ;,:U! 

'  •  •   <i  I  in  r    ii:i  %.i,, 
II 


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r.n 


\»l\   I  «•  A  f    \| 


Ai.il.    j!il 


lUTTLB   OF   TICOXDKROOA. 

•""I"' fic^ncral  Ai,,.'    .If  ".';  ''7''  "''  '-'<'^'  ''-".Xo 

''''!''"Tj.,.i„.  i,,iv  ,,,,,,;''''■•""•' i.ifi.ii,,,,, ,,,,,,, 

Y ''- ^-'aM.^  nn.|  ,1,.  ,,,,"'  "  ;/'''';-''l"''Mn- ,1,,.  ,s,nv,,,i,| 
•  "-■  I'oa.l  „f  ,|,„  ,„„,f,,,„;  ;      "'^'-  '■"•Nl.i,,,..,,,,,,.,  ,„.„,,.,, 

'"'■""'"■  ''f  »l"-'''i  "f  t  ,'  '""'''■;     "  '■""""' 1  I"  'i- 

'"""I  of  Lake  Oeor'e  cum .  1,     ,  ''.'■""'""""■---  f"»a'-.l.s  flu, 

=', came,  hack  ,„|,„«,e„i,|,„„ 


66 


LAKE    GEORGE    AND    LAKE    CHAMPLAIN. 


1^1 


11  15 


I!   i 
I 


il} 


n 


that  the  English  were  cinharkod  in  great  foree.  Mont- 
cahn  Kent  a  eanoe  down  Lake  Clianijilain  to  hasten  Li^'vis 
to  his  aid,  and  ordeied  the  battalion  of  IJerry  to  begin 
a  breastwork  and  abatis  on  the  high  ground  in  front  of 
the  fort.  That  they  were  not  begun  before  shows  that 
he  was  in  doubt  as  to  his  plan  of  defenee  ;  and  that  his 
whole  army  was  not  now  set  to  work  at  thcni  shows  that 
his  doubt  was  still  unsolved. 

It  was  nearly  a  month  sin(M;  Abcreromby  had  begun 
his  eanij)  at  the  head  of  Lake  George.  Here,  on  the 
ground  where  Johnson  had  beaten  Dicskau,  where 
Montcalm  had  planted  his  batteries,  and  Monro  vainly 
defend(>d  the  wooden  ramparts  of  Fort  William  Henry, 
were  now  assembled  more  than  fifteen  thousand  men  ; 
and  the  shores,  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  and  the  broken 
plains  between  them  were  studded  thick  with  tents.  Of 
regulars  there  were  six  thousiind  three  hundred  and 
sixty-seven,  ()ni«'er8  and  soldicjrs,  and  of  provincials  nine 
thousand  and  thirty-four.  To  the  New  p]ngland  levies, 
or  at  least  to  their  chaplains,  the  ex])editi(m  seemed 
a  crusade  against  the  abomination  of  Tlabylon  ;  and  they 
discoursed  in  their  sermons  of  Moses  sending  forth 
Joshua  against  Aniidck.  Abercromby,  raised  to  his 
place  by  political  inlhu-nce,  was  little  but  the  nominal 
commander.  "  A  heavv  man,"  said  Wolfe  in  a  letter 
to  his  father;  "an  aged  gentleman,  infirm  in  body  and 
mind,"  wrote  William  Parkman,  a  boy  of  seventeen, 
who  carried  a  musket  in  a  Massachusetts  regiment,  and 
kept  in  his  knapsack  a  dingy  little  note-book,  in  which 
he  jotted  down  what  passed  each  day.  The  age  of  the 
aged  gentleman  was  fifty-two. 

Pitt  meant  that  the  actual  command  of  the  army 
should  be  in  the  hands  of  Brigadier  Lord  Howe,  and  he 
was  in  fact  its  real  chief ;  "  the  noblest  Englishman  that 


1 


BATTLE    OF   TICONDEROGA. 


07 


has  appeared  in  my  time,  and  the  best  soldier  in  'the 
Ui'itish  arniy,"  says  Wolfe.  And  lie  elsewhere  speaks 
of  him  as  "  that  great  man."  Abercromby  testifies  to 
the  nniversal  res[)eet  and  love  with  whieh  otViecrs  and 
men  repirded  him,  an<l  Pitt  ealls  him  "  a  character  of 
ancient  times  ;  a  complete  model  of  military  virtue." 
High  as  this  praise  is,  it  seems  to  have  been  deserved. 
The  young  nobleman,  who  was  then  in  his  thirty -fourth 
year,  had  the  (jualities  of  a  leader  of  men.  The  army 
felt  him,  fi'om  general  to  drummer  boy.  lie  was  its 
soul  ;  and  while  breathing  into  it  his  own  energy  and 
ardor,  and  bracing  it  by  stringent  discipline,  he  broke 
through  the  traditions  of  the  service  and  gave  it  new 
shap«'s  to  suit  the  time  and  place.  During  the  past  year 
he  had  studied  the  art  of  forest  warftire,  and  joined 
Rogers  and  his  rangers  in  their  scouting-parties,  sharing 
all  their  hardshi|is  and  making  himself  one  of  them. 
Perhajts  the  reforms  that  he  introduced  were  fruits  of 
this  rough  self-imposed  schooling.  He  made  otlicers 
and  men  throw  olT  all  useless  incumbrances,  cut  their 
hair  close,  wear  leggings  to  [)rotect  them  from  briers, 
brown  the  barrels  of  their  muskets,  and  carry  in  their 
knapsacks  thirty  [»ounds  of  meal,  which  they  cooked  for 
themselves;  so  that,  according  to  an  admiring  French- 
man, they  could  live  a  month  without  their  supply-trains. 
"You  would  laugh  to  see  the  droll  figure  we  all  make," 
writes  an  olVicer.  "■  Regulars  as  well  as  provincials  have 
cut  their  coats  so  as  scarcely  to  reach  their  waists.  No 
oflicer  or  private  is  allowed  to  carry  more  than  one 
blanket  and  a  IxNirskin.  A  small  portmanteau  is  allowed 
each  oflicer.  No  women  follow  the  camp  to  wash  our 
linen.  Lord  Howe  has  already  shown  an  example  by 
going  to  the  brook  and  washing  his  own." 

Here,  as  in  all  things,  he  shared  the  lot  of  the  soldier, 


08 


LAKE    GJ:0RGE    AND    LAKE    CIIAMPLAIN. 


m 


W- 


^ 


aiuf  rcquirod  IiIh  oIIkmm-s  to  share  it.  A  storv  is  told  of 
him  tiuit  hcforo  tlio  urmy  omharkod  he  invited  some  of 
th(Mn  to  diniior  in  his  lent,  wliorc  they  found  no  seats  but 
h)^'^s,  jind  no  carpet  but  bcnrskins.  A  servant  presently 
])la('ed  on  i\w  jz:rouud  a  larue  dish  of  pork  and  i>eas,  on 
uhieh  his  lordship  took  from  his  poeket  a  sheath  con- 
taiuinjij  a  knife  and  fork  and  befran  to  cut  the  meat. 
'I'he  quests  looked  on  in  souk;  embarrassment;  upon 
which  ho  said:  "•  Js  it  j)()ssil)le,  ^entlom(^n,1iiat  yo»i  have 
come  on  this  eampaiun  without  jU'oviding  yourselves 
with  what  is  necessary  ? "  And  he  p^avc  each  of  them 
a  sheath,  with  a  knife  and  fork,  like  liis  own. 

Yet  this  riyeurL!:us  of  the  camp,  as  a  contemporary 
calls  him,  is  described  as  a  man  of  social  accom|»lish- 
nuuits  rari;  v.von  in  his  raidc.  lie  made  himself  jrreatly 
beloved  by  the  i)rovineial  oflicers,  with  many  of  whom 
he  was  on  terms  of  iutimacv,  and  he  did  what  he  could 
to  break  down  the  barriers  between  the  colonial  soldiers 
and  the  Ibitish  reiiidirs.  When  he  was  at  Albany, 
shai-inii"  with  other  hi<vh  olTicers  the  kindly  hosjiitalities 
of  Mrs.  Schuyler,  Ik;  so  won  the  heart  of  that  excellent 
matron  that  she  loved  him  like  a  son  ;  and,  thouuh  not 
given  to  such  effusion,  embi-aced  him  with  tears  on  the 
moruint^  wlien  he  left  her  to  lead  his  division  to  the  lake. 
In  Westminster  Abbey  may  be  seen  the  tablet  on  which 
Massachusetts  J)ays  grateful  trilnite  to  his  virtues,  and 
commemorates  "  the  affecticm  her  ofVicers  and  soldiers 
bore  to  his  command." 

On  the  evening  of  the  fourth  of  .luly,  baggage,  stores, 
and  annnunition  Avere  all  on  board  the  boats,  and  the 
whole  army  embarked  on  the  morning  of  the  lifth.  The 
arrangements  were  ])erfect.  Each  corps  marched  with- 
out confusion  to  its  appointed  station  on  the  beach,  and 
the  sun  was  scarcely  above  the  ridge  of  French  Moun- 


i     :.. 


BATTLE    OF    TICONDEIUXIA. 


09 


tain  wlioii  all  wore  afloat.  A  spectator  walchlnj;  tluin 
from  the  shore  says  tiiat  when  the  lleet  was  tiiree  miles 
on  its  way,  tiie  sui'lace  of  the  lake  at  that  distance  was 
completely  hidden  from  siuht.  'i'iiere  were  nine  hun- 
dred bateaux,  a  hundred  and  thirty  live  whaleboats,  ami 
a  large  number  of  heavy  Hat  boats  carrying,  the  artillery. 
The  whole  advanced  in  three  divisions,  the  reundars  in 
the  centre,  and  the  provincials  on  tin;  Hanks.  Kach 
corps  had  its  fla<.;s  and  its  music.  The  day  was  fair,  and 
men  and  ofllcers  were  in  the  higliest  spirits. 

Ileforc  ten  o'clock  tliev  hou;an  to  enter  tlu^  Xarnjws; 
and  the  boats  of  the  three  divisions  extended  tliemsclves 
into  long  files  as  the  mountains  closed  on  either  hand 
upon  the  contracted  lake.  From  front  to  rear  the  line; 
was  six  miles  long.  The  spectacle  was  superb :  the 
brightness  of  the  summer  day;  tlie  romantic  beauty  of 
the  scenery;  the  sheen  and  sparkle  of  those  crystal 
waters;  the  countless  islets,  tufted  with  pine,  birch,  and 
fir;  the  bordering  mountains,  with  their  green  summits 
and  sunny  crags;  the  Hash  of  oars  and  glitter  of  wea})- 
ons ;  tlie  banners,  the  varied  uniforms,  and  the  notes  of 
bugle,  trum|)ct,  bagpipe,  and  drum,  answered  and  pro- 
longed by  a  hundred  woodland  echoes.  "  I  never  beheld 
so  delightful  a  ])ros|»ect,"  wrote  a  wounded  oflicer  at 
Albany  a  fortnight  after. 

Rogers  with  the  rangers,  and  Oage  with  the  light 
infantry,  led  the  way  in  whaleboats,  followed  by  IJrad- 
street  with  his  corps  of  boatnuMi,  armed  and  drilled  as 
soldiers.  Then  canu;  the  main  body.  The  central 
column  of  regulars  was  commanded  by  liOi'd  [fowe,  his 
own  regiment,  the  fifty-fifth,  in  the  van,  followed  by  \\w 
Roval  Americans,  the  twenty-severth,  fortv-fourth,  fortv- 
sixth,  and  eightieth  infantry,  and  the  Flighlanders  of  the 
forty-second,  with    their   major,   Duncan    Campbell   of 


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WEBSTER,  NY.  14580 

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70 


LAKE   GEORGE   AND   LAKE   CIIAMPLAIN. 


hi 


II 


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i. 


fll 


Iiivcrawe,  silent  and  gloomy  amid  the  general  cheer,  for 
his  soul  was  dark  with  forcshadowings  of  death.  With 
this  central  colunm  came  what  are  described  as  two 
floating  castles,  which  were  no  doubt  batteries  to  cover 
the  landing  of  the  troops.  On  the  right  hand  and  the 
left  were  the  provincials,  uniformed  in  blue,  regiment 
after  regiment,  from  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  New 
York,  New  Jersey,  and  Rhode  Island.  Behind  them  all 
came  the  bateaux,  loaded  with  stores  and  baggage,  and 
the  heavy  flat  boats  that  carried  the  artillery,  while  a 
rear-guard  of  provincials  and  regulars  closed  the  long 
procession. 

At  five  in  the  afternoon  they  reached  Sabbath-Day 
Point,  twenty-five  miles  down  the  lake,  where  they 
stopped  till  late  in  the  evening,  waiting  for  the  baggage 
and  artillery,  which  had  lagged  beliind ;  and  here  Lord 
Howe,  lying  on  a  bearskin  by  the  side  of  the  ranger, 
John  Stark,  questioned  him  as  to  the  position  of  Ticon- 
deroga  and  its  best  points  of  approach.  At  about  eleven 
o'clock  they  set  out  again,  and  at  daybreak  entered  what 
was  then  called  the  Second  Nar  ws ;  that  is  to  say,  the 
contraction  of  the  lake  where  it  approaches  its  outlet. 
Close  on  their  left,  ruddy  in  the  warm  sunrise,  rose  the 
vast  bare  face  of  Rogers  Rock,  whence  a  French  advanced 
party,  under  Langy  and  an  officer  named  Trepezec,  was 
watching  their  movements.  Lord  Howe,  with  Rogers  and 
Bradstreet,  went  in  whaleboats  to  reconnoitre  the  land- 
ing. At  the  place  which  the  French  called  the  Burned 
Camp,  where  Montcalm  had  embarked  the  summer  be- 
fore, they  saw  a  detachment  of  the  enemy  too  weak  to 
oppose  them.  Their  men  landed  and  drove  them  off. 
At  noon  the  whole  army  was  on  shore.  Rogers,  with 
0  party  of  rangers,  was  ordered  forward  to  reconnoitre, 
and  the  troops  were  formed  for  the  march. 


"I 

I 
I 


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■(  ^ 


Skictcm    or  Tin: 

COrXTUY  KOLND 

Tycondkuoga 

i  f:\i'/..\\.\rr().y. 

.  1    'T'l^coiulrroiiii  . 

li.  Rrtriud/imrnt. 

('  .  Uihdtts. 

/>  •*>//  II    "/if/  . 
i 
l  li  .'/'rrn(/i   a  it\ti  ind  I'u.st . 

F  l.v/r  ail    ll/tnitiiii  . 

(>    I. II II (I I II  v'  /'/hit  ■  I 

//  / 11  Ij'rnc/iniciit  fo  (out  rii/  Hu/tfrni.'il 

pdf'ii  /ii/  I.'  h'.  Ml  i/rrol'ii'iiii"'/{rti^^ 


BATTLE   OF   TICONDEROGA. 


71 


,<A 


Froin  this  part  of  the  shore  ^  a  plain  covered  with 
forest  stretched  northwestward  half  a  mile  or  more  to 
the  mountains  behind  which  lay  the  valley  of  Trout 
Brook.  On  this  plain  the  army  began  its  march  in  four 
columns,  with  the  intention  of  passing  round  the  west- 
ern bank  of  the  river  of  the  outlet,  since  the  bridge  over 
it  had  been  destroyed.  Rogers,  with  the  provincial 
regiments  of  Fitch  and  Lyman,  led  the  way,  at  some 
distance  before  the  rest.  The  forest  was  extremely 
dense  and  heavy,  and  so  obstructed  with  undergrowth 
that  it  was  impossible  to  see  more  than  a  few  yards  in 
anv  di  ection,  while  the  firround  was  encumbered  with 
fallen  trees  in  every  stage  of  decay.  The  ranks  were 
broken,  and  the  men  struggled  on  as  they  could  in 
dampness  and  shade,  under  a  canoi)y  of  boughs  that  the 
sun  could  scarcely  pierce.  The  Jitficulty  increased 
when,  after  advancing  about  a  mile,  they  came  upon 
undulating  and  broken  ground.  They  were  now  not  far 
from  the  upper  rai)ids  of  the  outlet.  The  guides  became 
bewildered  in  the  maze  of  triniks  and  boughs ;  the 
marching  columns  were  confused,  and  fell  in  one  upon 
the  other.  They  were  in  the  strange  situation  of  an 
army  lost  in  the  woods. 

The  advanced  party  of  French  under  Langy  and 
Trepezec,  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  in  all,  regulars 
and  Canadians,  had  tried  to  retreat;  but  before  they 
could  do  so,  \\\Q  whole  English  army  had  passed  them, 
landed,  and  placed  itself  between  tliem  and  their  country- 
men. They  had  no  resource  but  to  take  to  the  woods. 
They  seem  to  have  climbed  the  steep  gorge  at  the  side 
of  Rogers  Rock  and  followed  the  Indian  path  that  led 
to  the  valley  of  Trout  Brook,  thinking  to  descend  it, 
and,  by  circling  along  the   outskirts  of  the  valley  of 

1  Between  the  old  and  new  steamboat-landings,  and  parts  adjacent. 


72 


LAK?:    GEORGE    AND    LAKE    CnAMPLAIN. 


1 


Ticonderoga,  reach  Montcalm's  camp  at  tlie  saw-mill. 
Langy  was  used  to  bush  ranging ;  but  he  too  became  per- 
plexed intlu;  blind  intricacies  of  the  forest.  Towards  the 
close  of  the  day  he  and  his  men  had  come  out  from  the 
valley  of  Trout  Brook,  and  were  ncnir  the  junction  of  that 
stream  with  the  river  of  the  outlet,  in  a  state  of  some 
anxietv,  for  thev  could  see  nothing  but  brown  trunks  and 
green  boughs.  Could  any  of  them  have  climbed  one  of 
the  great  pines  that  here  and  there  reared  their  shaggy 
spires  high  above  the  surrounding  forest,  they  would 
have  discovered  where  thev  were,  but  "would  have 
gained  not  the  faintest  knowledge  of  the  enemy.  Out 
of  the  woods  on  the  right  they  would  have  seen  a  smoke 
rising  from  the  burning  huts  of  the  French  camp  at  the 
head  of  the  portage,  which  Bourlamacpie  had  set  on  lire 
and  abandoned.  At  a  mile  or  more  in  front,  tl-e  saw- 
mill at  the  Falls  might  perhai)S  have  been  descried,  and, 
by  glimjjses  between  the  trees,  the  tents  of  the  neighbor- 
ing camp  where  Montcalm  still  lav  with  his  main  force. 
All  the  rest  seemed  lonely  as  the  grave;  mountain  and 
valley  lay  wrai)i)ed  in  primeval  woods,  and  none  coulci 
have  dreanuid  that,  not  far  distant,  an  army  was  groping 
its  way,  buried  in  foliage;  no  rumbling  of  wagons  and 
artillery  trains,  for  none  were  there ;  all  silent  but  the 
cawing  of  some  crow  flapping  his  black  wings  over  the 
sea  of  tree-tops. 

Lord  Howe,  with  Major  Israel  Putnam  and  two  hun- 
dred rangers,  was  at  the  head  of  the  ])rincii)al  column, 
which  was  a  little  in  advance  of  the  three  others.  Sud- 
denly the  challenge,  Qui  vive !  rang  sharply  from  the 
thickets  in  front.  Franrais !  was  the  rc])ly.  Langy's 
men  were  not  deceived;  they  fired  out  of  the  bushes. 
The  shots  were  returned ;  a  hot  skirmish  followed ; 
and  Lord  Ilowe  dropped  dead,  shot  through  the  breast. 


BATTLE    OF    TICONDEROGA. 


73 


All  was  confusion.  The  dull,  vicious  reports  of  muS' 
kctry  in  thick  Avootls,  jit  first  few  and  scuttcrin^',  then 
in  fierce  and  rapid  volleys,  readied  tiie  troops  beiiind. 
They  could  hear,  but  see  nothing.  Already  harassed 
and  perplexed,  they  became  perturbed.  For  all  they 
knew,  ^lontcalm's  Avhole  army  was  upon  them.  Nothinj^ 
prevented  a  ])i\nlc  but  the  steadiness  of  the  rangers,  who 
maintained  (lie  fight  alone  till  the  rest  came  back  to 
their  senses.  Rogers,  with  his  reconnoitring  party,  and 
the  reiriments  of  Fitch  and  Lvniiin,  were  at  no  great 
distance  iu  front.  They  all  turned  on  hearing  the  nuis- 
ketrv,  and  thus  the  French  were  caught  between  two 
fires.  They  fought  willi  desperation.  About  fifty  of 
them  at  length  escai)cd ;  a  hundred  and  forty-eight 
were  cai)tured,  and  the  rc>st  killed  or  drowned  in  trying 
to  cross  the  ra})ids.  The  loss  of  tin;  English  was  small 
iu  numbers,  but  imin(>asurab'e  in  the  death  of  Howe. 
'^  The  fall  of  this  noble  and  brave  ollicer,"  says  Rogers, 
"  seemed  to  produce  an  almost  general  languor  and  con- 
sternation through  the  whole  army."  '•  In  Lord  Howe," 
writes  another  contemporary,  jVIajor  Thomas  Mante, 
"the  soul  of  General  Abereromby's  army  seemed  to 
cxi)ire.  From  the  unhappy  moment  the  General  was 
deprived  of  his  advice,  neither  order  nor  discipline  was 
observed,  and  a  strange  kind  of  infatuation  usurped  the 
place  of  resolution."  The  death  of  one  man  was  tluj 
ruin  of  fifteen  thousand. 

The  evil  news  was  despatched  to  Albany,  and  in  two 
or  three  days  the  messenger  who  bore  it  ])assed  the 
house  of  Mrs.  Schuvler  on  tiie  meadows  above  the  town. 
"  In  the  afternoon,"  says  her  biographer,  "  a  man  was 
seen  coming  from  the  north  galloping  violently  witliout 
liis  hat.  Pedrom,  as  he  was  familiarly  called.  Colonel 
Schuyler's  only  surviving  brother,  was  with  her,  and  ran 


M'' 


T4 


LAKE   GEORGE   AND   LAKE   CIIAMPLAIN. 


instantly  to  inquire,  well  knowing  tliat  he  rode  express. 
The  man  galloped  on,  crying  out  tliat  Lord  Howe  was 
killed.  The  mind  of  our  good  aunt  had  been  so  en- 
grossed by  her  anxiety  and  fears  for  the  event  imi)end- 
ing,  and  so  impressed  with  tlu;  merit  and  magiumimity 
of  her  favorite  hero,  that  her  wonted  firmness  sank 
under  the  stroke,  and  she  broke  out  into  bitter  lamenta- 
tion-i.  This  had  such  an  effect  on  her  friends  and  do- 
mestics that  shrieks  and  sobs  of  anguish  echoed  through 
every  part  of  the  house." 

The  effect  of  the  loss  was  seen  at  once.  The  army 
was  needlessly  kept  under  arms  all  night  in  the  forest, 
and  in  the  morning  was  ordered  back  to  the  landing 
whence  it  came.  Towards  noon,  however,  Bradstreet 
was  sent  with  a  detachment  of  regulars  and  provincials 
to  take  possession  of  the  saw-mill  at  the  Falls,  which 
Montcalm  had  abandoned  the  evening  before.  Brad- 
street  rebuilt  the  bridges  destroyed  by  the  retiring 
enemy,  and  sent  word  to  his  connnander  that  the  way 
was  open ;  on  which  Al)ercromby  again  put  his  army 
in  motion,  reached  the  Falls  late  in  the  afternoon,  and 
occupied  the  deserted  encami)ment  of  the  French. 

Montcalm  with  his  main  force  had  lield  this  position 
at  the  Falls  through  most  of  the  preceding  day,  doulitful, 
it  seems,  to  the  last  whether  he  should  not  make  his 
final  stand  there.  Bourlamaque  was  for  doing  so ;  but 
two  old  officers,  Bernes  and  Montguy,  pointed  out  the 
danger  that  the  English  would  occupy  tlie  neighboring 
heights ;  whereupon  Montcalm  at  length  resolved  to  fall 
back.  The  camp  was  broken  up  at  five  o'clock.  Some 
of  the  troops  embarked  in  bateaux,  while  others  marched 
a  mile  and  a  half  along  the  forest  road,  passed  the 
place  where  the  battalion  of  Berry  was  still  at  work  on 
the  breastwork  begun  in  the  morning,  and  made  their 


BATTLE   OF   TICONDEROGA. 


75 


bivouac  a  little  farther  on,  upon  the  cleared  ground  that 
suj'rounded  the  fort. 

Tlie  peninsula  of  Ticonderoga  consists  of  a  rocky  pla- 
teau, with  low  grounds  on  each  side,  bordering  Laivc 
Champlain  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  outlet  of  Lake 
George  on  the  other.  The  fort  stood  near  the  end  of 
the  peninsula,  which  ])oints  towards  the  southeast. 
Thence,  as  one  goes  westward,  the  ground  <lecliues  a 
little,  and  then  slowly  rises,  till,  about  half  a  mile  from 
the  fort,  it  reaches  its  greatest  elevation,  and  begins 
still  more  gradually  to  decline  again.  Thus  a  rldgi;  is 
formed  across  the  plateau  between  the  steep  declivities 
that  sink  to  the  low  grounds  on  right  and  left.  Some 
weeks  before,  a  French  oflicer  nanu'd  Ilugues  had  sug- 
gested the  defence  of  this  ridge  by  means  ot"  an  abatis. 
Montcalm  approved  his  plan;  and  now,  at  the  eleventh 
hour,  he  resolved  to  make  his  stand  here.  Tlu;  two 
engineers,  Pcmtleroy  and  Desandrouin,  had  already 
traced  the  outline  of  the  works,  and  the  soldiers  of 
the  battalion  of  Berry  had  made  some  progress  in  con- 
structing them.  At  dawn  of  the  seventh,  while  Aber- 
cromby,  fortunately  for  liis  en<>my,  was  drawing  his 
troo{)s  back  to  the  landing-])lace,  the  Avhole  French 
army  fell  to  their  task.  The  regimental  colors  were 
planted  along  the  line,  and  the  oflicers,  stripped  to  the 
shirt,  took  axe  in  hand  and  labored  with  their  men. 
The  trees  that  covered  the  ground  were  hewn  down  by 
thousands,  the  toj)8  lopj)e(l  off,  and  the  truidvs  j)iled  one 
upon  another  to  form  a  massive  breastwork.  The  lino 
followed  the  top  of  the  ridge,  along  whicli  it  zigzagged  in 
such  a  manner  that  the  whole  front  could  be  swept  by 
flank  fires  of  musketry  and  grape.  Abercromby  describes 
the  wall  of  logs  as  between  eight  and  nine  feet  high ;  in 
which  case  there  must  have  been  a  rude  banquette,  or 


76 


LAKE    GEOllGE    AND    LAKE    CILVMPLAIN. 


\\m^. 


ill!: 


Ill 


If 


SI. 


pliitlorin  to  fire  from,  on  tlio  inner  side.  It  was  cer- 
tainly so  hijj^h  tliat  notliini''  could  be  ween  over  it  but  the 
crowns  of  the  soldiers'  hats.  The  upper  tier  was  formed 
of  sinii'le  logs,  in  which  notches  were  cut  to  sei've  as 
loopholes ;  and  in  some  ])laces  sods  and  bags  of  sand 
were  piled  along  the  top,  with  narrow  spaces  to  lire 
through.  From  the  central  ))art  of  the  line  the  ground 
sl()p(.'d  away  like  a  natural  glacis  ;  while  at  the  sides, 
and  especially  on  the  left,  it  was  undulating  and  l)roken. 
Over  this  whole  space,  to  the  distance  of  a  musket- 
shot  from  the  works,  the  forest  was  cut  down,  and  the 
trees  left  lying  where  they  fell  among  the  stumps,  with 
tops  turned  outwards,  forming  one  vast  abatis,  which,  as 
a  Massachusetts  oHicer  Kays,  looked  like  a  forest  laid  flat 
by  a  hurricane.  IJut  the  most  formidable  obstruction  was 
immediately  along  the  front  of  the  breastwork,  where  the 
ground  was  covered  with  heavy  boughs,  overla))ping  and 
interlaced,  with  sharpened  points  bristling  into  the  face 
of  the  assailant  like  the  quills  of  a  porcupine.  As  these 
works  Avere  all  of  wood,  no  vestiue  of  them  remains. 
The  earthworks  now  shown  to  tourists  as  the  lines  of 
Afontcalm  arc  of  later  construction  ;  and  though  on  the 
same  ground,  arc  not  on  the  same  })lan. 

Here,  then,  was  i,  position  which,  if  attacked  in  front 
with  musketry  alone,  might  be  called  impregnable.  But 
would  Abercromby  so  attack  it  ?  lie  had  several  alter- 
natives. He  might  attemi)t  the  flank  and  rear  of  his 
enemy  by  way  of  the  low  grounds  on  the  right  and  left 
of  the  plateau,  a  movement  which  the  precautions  of 
Montcalm  had  made  dithcult,  but  not  impossible.  Or, 
instead  of  leaving  his  artillery  idle  on  the  strand  of 
Lake  George,  he  might  brinsr  it  to  the  front  and  batter 
the  breastwork,  which,  though  impervious  to  musketry, 
was  worthless  against  heavy  cannon.     Or  he  might  do 


i  1 


BATTLE   OF   TICOXDEROGA. 


77 


wliat  Burcrovne  did  with  success  a  scoro  of  voars  later, 
and  plant  a  ltatt(>ry  on  tlic  lu'i^ihts  ol'  Ratllcsnaixc  Hill, 
now  called  Mount  Dcliancc,  which  couuuaiulcd  the  posi- 
tion of  the  FrcJi^'J'i  ^iii'l  whence  the  inside  of  their  breast- 
work could  be  scoured  witii  round-shot  from  end  to  end. 
Or,  while  threatenin<»;  the  French  front  with  a  part  of 
his  army,  he  could  march  the  rest  a  short  distance 
through  the  woods  or.  his  left  to  the  road  whii-h  led 
from  Ticondcroga  to  (h-owii  Point,  and  which  would 
soon  have  brought  him  to  the  jdace  called  Five-Mih; 
Point,  where  Lake  Chaniiilaln  narrows  to  the  width  of 
an  easy  rifle-shot,  and  where  a  battery  of  lield-i)ieces 
would  have  cut  off  all  Montcalm's  supplies  and  closecl 
his  oidy  way  of  retreat.  As  the  Fj-ench  were  jirovis- 
ioned  for  but  eight  days,  their  position  would  thus  have 
been  desiierato.  They  plainly  saw  the  danger  ;  and 
Doreil  declares  that  hud  the  movement  biM'n  made,  their 
whole  army  must  have  surrend(n-ed.  Montcalm  had 
done  what  Ik^  could  ;  but  the  danger  of  his  ])osition  was 
inevitable  and  extreme.  II is  hope  lay  in  Abercroniby  ; 
and  it  was  a  hope  well  founded.  The  action  of  tlu; 
English  general  answered  the  utmost  wishes  of  his 
enemy. 

Abercroml>y  had  been  told  by  his  prisoners  that 
Montcalm  had  six  thousand  men,  and  that  three  thou- 
sand more  were  expected  every  hour.  Therefoi'c  he 
was  in  haste  to  attack  before  these  succors  could  arrive. 
As  was  the  general,  so  was  the  army.  '*  I  believe," 
writes  an  ofTicer,  "  we  were  one  and  all  infatuated  by  a 
notion  of  carrying  every  obstacle  by  a  mere  cokj)  de 
mousqueterleP  Leadership  perished  with  Lord  Howe, 
and  nothing  was  left  but  blind,  headlong  valor. 

Clerk,  chief  engineer,  was  sent  to  reconnoitre  the 
French  works  from  Mount  Defiance  ;   and  came  back 


78 


LAKK    GKOIUJE    AND    LAKE    ClIAMrLAIN. 


li  I 


' 


li   :^i 


with  tlio  r('[)ort  tlitit,  to  jiid^t'  I'rum  wliai  he  could  sco, 
tlicy  ini<iht  be  carried  l>y  asfsault.  Tlien,  without  wait- 
ing to  i)riiif^  \\[)  his  canuou,  Abercroniby  prepared  to 
storm  tlie  lines. 

The  Flench  finished  their  breastwork  and  abatis  on 
the  eveninj^  of  <he  seventh,  encamped  behind  them, 
slung  their  ketth's,  and  rested  after  their  heavy  toil. 
Ldvis  had  not  yet  ai)j)eared  ;  but  at  twilight  one  of  his 
olliccrs,  Ca[)tain  Toucliot,  arrived  with  three  hundred 
regulars,  and  announced  that  his  commander  would 
come  before  morning  with  a  hundred  more.  The  rein- 
forcement, though  small,  was  welcome,  and  Levis  was 
a  host  in  himself.  I'ouchot  was  told  that  the  army  was 
half  a  mile  off.  Thither  he  repaired,  made  his  rej)ort 
to  Montcalm,  and  looked  with  amazement  at  the  pro- 
digious amount  of  work  accomplished  in  one  day. 
Levis  himself  arrived  in  the  course  of  the  night,  and 
apj)roved  the  arrangement  of  the  troops.  They  lay 
behind  tlieir  lines  till  daybreak  ;  then  the  di'ums  beat, 
and  thcv  formed  in  order  of  battle.  The  battalions  of 
La  Sarre  and  Languedoc  were  posted  on  the  left,  under 
Bourlanuuiue,  the  first  battalion  of  Berry  with  that  of 
Royal  Roussillon  in  the  centre,  nnder  Montcalm,  and 
those  of  La  Reine,  Bdarn,  and  Guienne  on  the  right, 
under  Ldvis.  A  detachment  of  volunteers  occupied  the 
low  grounds  between  the  breastwork  and  the  outlet  of 
Lake  George  ;  while,  at  the  foot  of  the  declivity  on  the 
side  towards  Lake  Champlain,  were  stationed  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  colony  regulars  and  Canadians,  behind  an 
abatis  which  thev  had  made  for  themselves ;  and  as 
they  were  covered  by  the  cannon  of  the  fort,  there  was 
some  hope  that  they  would  check  any  flank  movement 
which  the  English  might  attempt  on  that  side.  Their 
posts  being  thus  assigned,  the  men  fell  to  work  again  to 


BATTLE    OF    TICONDEKOGA. 


70 


stri'iigtlu'ii  tlicir  (li'f«'ncos.  Iiu'ludini;  tli(xs<'  who  ciiinc 
with  Lt'vis,  thu  total  furcu  of  cri'octivu  suhliers  was  now 
thhty-six  himdivd. 

Soon  alter  nine  o'clock  a  distant  and  hannlcss  lire  of 
small-arms  began  on  the  slopes  of  Mount  Defiance.  It 
came  from  a  party  of  Indians  who  had  just  arrived  with 
Sir  William  Johnson,  and  v>ho,  after  amusin«r  themselves 
in  this  manner  for  a  time,  remained  for  the  rest  of  the 
day  safe  si)ectators  of  the  fight.  The  soldiers  worked 
undisturbed  till  noon,  when  vollevs  of  musketrv  were 
heard  from  the  forest  in  front.  It  was  the  Knglish  li^ht 
troops  driving  in  the  French  pickets.  A  cannon  wa.-; 
tired  as  a  signal  to  drop  tools  and  form  for  battle.  The 
white  uniforms  lined  the  breastwork  in  a  triple  row, 
with  the  grenadiers  behind  them  as  a  reserve,  and  the 
second  battalion  oi  j>orry  watching  the  iianks  and  rear. 

Meanwhih*  ^hc  English  army  had  moved  forward  from 
its  canij)  by  the  saw-mill.  First  came  the  rangers,  the 
light  infantry,  and  Bradstreet's  armed  boatmen,  who, 
emerging  into  the  open  space,  began  a  spattering  lire. 
Some  of  the  j)rovincial  troops  followed,  extending  from 
left  to  right,  and  opening  tire  in  turn;  then  the  regulars, 
who  liad  formed  in  columns  of  attack  under  cover  of  the 
forest,  advanced  their  solid  red  masses  into  the  sunlight,, 
and  passing  through  the  intervals  between  the  jn'ovincial 
regiments,  pushed  forward  to  the  assault.  Across  the 
rough  ground,  with  its  maze  of  fallen  trees  whose  leaves 
hung  withering  in  the  July  sun,  they  could  see  the  top 
of  the  breastwork,  but  not  the  men  behind  it ;  when,  in 
an  instant,  all  the  line  was  obscured  by  a  gush  of  smoke, 
a  crash  of  exploding  firearms  tore  the  air,  and  grapeshot 
and  musket-balls  swept  the  whole  space  like  a  tempest ; 
"  a  damnable  fire,"  says  an  otftcer  who  heard  them  scream- 
ing about  his  ears.    The  English  had  been  ordered  to 


pr" 


'^nVPIIIiMH 


80 


LAKE   GEORGE   AND   LAKE   CIIAMPLAIN. 


te 


carry  the  works  with  the  bayonet ;  but  their  ranks  were 
broken  by  the  obstructions  througli  which  they  struggled 
in  vain  to  force  their  wav.  and  thev  ooon  began  to  lire  in 
turn  The  storm  raged  in  full  fury  for  an  hour.  The 
assailants  pushed  close  to  the  breastwork ;  but  there  they 
were  stopped  by  (he  bristling  mass  of  sharpened  branches, 
which  they  could  not  pass  under  the  murderous  cross- 
fires that  swept  them  from  front  and  flank.  At  length 
they  fell  back,  exclaimiug  that  the  works  were  impreg- 
nable. Abercromby,  Avho  was  at  the  saw-mill,  a  mile 
and  a  half  in  the  rear,  sent  orders  to  attack  again,  and 
again  they  came  on  as  before. 

The  scene  was  frightful :  masses  of  infuriated  men 
who  could  not  go  forward  and  would  not  go  back ; 
straining  for  an  enemy  they  could  not  reach,  and  firing 
on  an  enemy  they  could  not  see ;  caught  in  the  entangle- 
ment of  fallen  trees;  tripped  by  briers,  stumlding  over 
logs,  tearing  through  boughs;  shouting,  yelling,  cursing, 
and  pelted  all  the  while  with  bul'ets  that  killed  them 
by  scores,  stretched  them  on  the  ground,  or  hung  them 
on  jagged  brandies  in  strange  attitudes  of  death.  The 
provincials  supi)orted  the  regulars  with  s])irit,  and  some 
of  them  forced  theic  way  to  the  foot  of  the  wooden  wall. 

The  French  fought  with  the  intrepid  gayety  of  their 
nation,  and  shouts  of  Vive  le  Rol !  and  Vive  notre  G-r- 
ncral!  mingled  with  the  din  of  musketry.  Montcalm, 
with  his  coat  off,  for  the  day  was  hot,  directed  the  de- 
fence of  the  centre,  and  repaired  to  any  part  of  the  line 
where  the  danger  for  the  time  seemed  greatest.  He  is 
warm  \x\  praise  of  his  enemy,  and  declares  that  between 
one  and  seven  o'clock  thev  attacked  him  six  successive 
times.  Early  in  the  action  Abercromby  tried  to  turn 
the  French  left  by  sending  twenty  bateaux,  filled  with 
troops,  down  the  outlet  of  Lake  George.     They  were 


BATTLE    OF    TICONDEIIOGA. 


81 


mot  by  the  fire  of  the  volunteers  stiitionod  to  defend  the 
low  grounds  on  that  side,  and,  still  advaneinu',  eamc; 
within  range  of  tiie  cannon  of  the  fort,  whieli  sank  two 
of  theui  and  dro\e  back  the  rest. 

A  curious  incident  hapi)ened  during  one  of  the  attacks. 
De  Bassignac,  a  captain  in  the  battalion  of  Royal  Rous- 
sillon,  tied  his  handkerchief  to  tlie  end  of  a  muslvct  and 
waved  it  over  the  breastworlv  in  defiance.  Tlie  Englisii 
mistook  it  for  a  sign  of  surrender,  and  came  forward 
witli  all  possible  s})eed,  hoMing  their  nuisUets  crossed 
over  their  heads  in  both  hands,  and  crying  Qnartcr. 
The  French  made  the  same  mistake;  and  thinking  that 
their  enemies  were  giving  themselves  uj)  as  prisoners, 
ceased  firing,  and  mounted  on  the  top  of  the  breastwtn'k 
to  receive  them.  Captain  Pouchot,  astonished,  as  he  says, 
to  sec  them  perched  there,  looked  out  to  learn  the  cause, 
and  saw  that  the  enemv  meant  anything  but  surrender. 
Whereui)on  ho  shouted  with  all  his  might:  '•' Tirez ! 
Tlrcz!  Ne  voycz-vous  pa^i  que  ces  gcui^-la  vont  vous  en- 
Icrcr?"  The  soldiers,  still  standing  on  the  breastwork, 
instantly  gave  the  English  a  volley,  which  killed  some,ol' 
them,  and  sent  back  the  rest  discomIite(l. 

This  Avas  set  to  the  account  of  Oallic  treachery.  "An- 
other deceit  the  enemy  put  u\Hm  us,"  says  a  militni-y 
letter-writer:  "theyriiised  their  hats  above  the  Itreast- 
work,  which  our  people  fire(l  at:  they  having  loophohs 
to  fire  through,  and  beirig  covered  by  the  sods,  we  di<l 
them  little  damnge,  except  shooting  th(>ir  hats  to  jtieces." 
In  one  of  the  last  assaults  a  soldier  of  the  Rhode  Island 
regiment,  Willinm  Smith,  managed  to  get  through  all 
obstructions  and  ensconce  himself  close  under  the  breast- 
work, where  in  the  confusion  he  remained  for  a  time 
unnoticed,  improving  his  advantages  meanwhile  by  shoot- 
ing several  Frenchmen.      Being  at  length  observed,  a 

§ 


^^ 


82 


LAKE    GEORGE    AND    LAKE    CIIAMPLAIN. 


■i'Ji 


ri) 


^,'t 


soldier  fired  vertically  down  upon  him  and  wounded  him 
sevcri'ly,  but  not  enou^'h  to  prevent  his  spriu^in*^  up, 
striking  at  one  of  his  enemies  over  the  top  of  the  wall, 
and  braining  him  with  his  hatchet.  A  British  officer 
who  saw  tlie  feat,  and  was  struciv  by  the  reckless  daring 
of  the  man,  ordered  two  regulars  to  bring  him  off ; 
which,  covered  by  a  brisk  fire  of  musketry,  they  suc- 
ceeded in  doing.  A  letter  from  the  camp  two  or  three 
weeks  later  reports  him  as  in  a  fair  way  to  recover, 
being,  says  the  writer,  much  braced  and  invigorated  by 
his  anger  against  the  French,  on  whom  he  was  swearing 
to  have  his  revenge. 

Toward  i\xG  o'clock  two  English  columns  joined  in  a 
most  determined  assault  on  the  extreme  right  of  the 
F'rench,  defended  by  the  battalions  of  Guienne  and 
Bdarn.  The  danger  for  a  time  was  imminent.  Mont- 
calm hastened  to  the  s])ot  with  the  reserves.  The 
assailants  hewed  their  way  to  the  foot  of  tlie  breastwork  ; 
and  though  again  and  again  repidsed,  they  again  and 
again  renewed  the  attack.  The  Highlanders  fought  with 
stubborn  and  unconquerable  fury.  "  Even  those  who 
were  mortally  wounded,"  writes  one  of  their  lieutenants, 
"  cried  to  their  companions  not  to  lose  a  thought  upon 
them,  but  to  follow  their  officers  and  mind  the  honor  of 
their  country.  Their  ardor  was  such  that  it  was"  difli- 
cult  to  bring  them  off."  Their  major,  Campbell  of 
luverawe,  found  his  foreboding  true.  He  received  a 
mortal  shot,  and  his  clansmen  bore  him  from  the  field. 
Twentv-five  of  their  officers  were  killed  or  wounded,  and 
half  the  men  fell  under  the  deadly  fire  that  poured  from 
the  looi>holes.  Captain  John  Campbell  and  a  few  fol- 
lowers tore  their  way  through  the  abatis,  climbed  the 
breastwork,  leaped  down  among  the  French,  and  were 
bavoncted  there. 


• 


BATTLE    OF   TICONDEROGA. 


!;f 


As  tho  colony  troops  and  Canadians  on  the  low  o-ponnd 
worn  left  undistuH.cd,  Lovis  sent  them  an  order  to  make 
a  sortie  and  attack  tl.c  left  flank  of  the  charging  col- 
umns.     They  accordingly  posted  themselves  amoim  tl.c 
trees  along  the  declivity,  and  fired  npwards  at  tlie  en- 
emy, who  presently  shifted  their  position  to  the  ri'-ht 
out  of  the  line  of  shot.     The  assault  still  contiuued,"l,ut 
111  vain;  and   at  six  th(3ro  was  another  effort,  ef.ually 
fruitless.     From  this  time  till  half-past  seven  a  linovr- 
ing  fight  was  kept  np  hy  the  rangers  and  other  provin- 
cials, firing  from  the  edge  of  tho  woods  and  from  behind' 
the  stumps,  l)ushes,  and  fallen  trees  in  front  of  the  lines 
Its  only  oI)jects  were  to  cover  their  comrades,  who  were 
collectmg  and  bringing  off  the  woun.hMl,  and  to  protect 
the  retreat  of  the  regulars,  who  fell  back  in  disorder  to 
the  Falls.    As  twilight  came  on,  the  last  combatant  with- 
drew, and  none  were  left  but  the  dead.    Abercromhy  had 
lost  in  killed,  wounded,  and  missing,  nineteen  hundred 
and  iorty-four  ofTicers  and  men.     The  loss  of  the  French 
not  counting  that  of  Langy's  detachment,  was  three  hnn' 
dred  and  seventy-seven.     Bourlamaque  was  danjieronsly 
wounded;   iJougainville  slightly;   and  the  hat  of  Levis 
was  twice  shot  through. 

Montcalm,  with  a  mighty  load  lifted  from  his  soul 
passed  along  the  lines,  and  gave  the  tired  soldiers  the' 
thanks  they  nobly  deserved.  IJeer,  wine,  and  food  were 
served  out  to  them,  and  they  bivouacke.l  for  tho  nio-ht 
on  the  level  ground  l)etween  the  breastwork  and  tho 
lort.  Ihe  enemy  had  met  a  terrible  rebuff;  vet  tne 
danger  was  not  over.  Abercromhy  still  ha.l  mo^e  than 
thirteen  thousand  men,  and  he  might  renew  the  attack 
u-ith  cannon.  But,  on  the  morning  of  the  ninth,  a  band 
ot  volunteers  who  had  gone  out  to  watch  him  brought 


84 


LAKE    GEORGE   AND   LAKE    CIIAMPLAIN. 


1! 


back  the  report  that  he  was  in  full  reticat.  The  saw- 
mill at  the  Falls  was  on  lii'C,  and  the  last  English  sol- 
dier was  gone.  On  the  morning  of  the  tenth,  Lc'vis, 
with  a  strong  detachment,  followed  the  road  to  the 
landing-place;,  and  found  signs  that  a  panic  had  over- 
taken the  defeated  troops.  They  had  left  behind  several 
hundred  barrels  of  provisions  and  a  large  quantity  of 
baggage ;  while  in  a  marsiiy  ])lace  that  they  had  crossed 
was  found  a  considerable  number  of  their  shoes,  which 
had  stuck  in  the  mud,  and  which  they  had  not  stopped 
to  recover.  They  had  embarked  on  the  morning  after 
the  battle,  and  retreated  to  the  head  of  the  lake  in  a 
disorder  and  dejection  wofully  contrasted  with  the  pomp 
of  their  advance.  A  gallant  army  was  sacrificed  by  the 
blunders  of  its  chief. 

Montcalm  announced  his  victory  to  his  wife  in  a  strain 
of  exaggeration  that  marks  the  exaltation  of  his  mind. 
"  Without  Indians,  almost  without  Canadians  or  colony 
troo}>s,  —  I  had  only  four  hundred,  —  alone  with  Levis 
and  Bourlamaque  a'd  the  troops  of  the  line,  thirty-one 
hundred  lighting  men,  I  have  beaten  an  army  of  twenty- 
five  thousand.  They  rei)asscd  the  lake  })recipitately, 
with  a  loss  of  at  least  five  thousand.  This  glorious  day 
does  infinite  honor  to  the  valor  of  our  battalions.  I  have 
no  time  to  write  more.  I  am  well,  my  dearest,  and  I 
embrace  you."  And  he  wrote  to  his  friend  Dorcil: 
"The  army,  the  too-small  army  of  the  King,  has  beaten 
the  enemy.  What  a  day  for  France  !  If  I  had  had  two 
hundred  Indians  to  send  out  at  the  head  of  a  thousand 
picked  men  under  the  Chevalier  do  Levis,  not  many 
would  have  escaped.  Ah,  my  dear  Doreil,  what  soldiers 
are  ours !  I  never  saw  the  like.  Why  were  they  not 
at  Louisbourg  ? " 


■ 


„ 


BATTLE    OF   TICONDEROGA.  86 

On  the  morrow  of  Ins  victory  he  caiKscd  a  great  cross 
to  be  i.Ianted  on  tlio  battle-field,  inscribed  with  these 
lines,  composed  by  the  soldier-schohir  himself,— 

"  Quid  (lux  1  quid  miles  ?  quid  strata  ingentia  ligna  ' 
"  En  Signuin  !  on  victor!  Dous  hie,  Dcus  ipse  triumphat." 
"  Soldier  and  chief  and  rampart's  strcngtli  are  nougl>t ; 
i3ehold  the  conquering  Cross  1  'T  is  God  the  triumph  wrought." 


A  LEGEND  OF  TICONDEROGA. 


' 


f 


w 


"IV /TENTION  has  been  made  of  the  death  of  Major 
-^'-*-  Duncan  Campbell  of  Inverawe.  The  following 
family  tradition  relating  to  it  was  told  me  in  1878  by 
the  late  Dean  Stanley,  to  whom  1  am  also  indebted  for 
various  papers  on  the  subject,  including  a  letter  from 
James  Campbell,  Esq.,  the  present  laird  of  Inverawe, 
and  great-nei)he\v  of  the  hero  of  the  tale.  The  same 
story  is  told,  in  an  amplified  fOi*m  and  with  some  vari- 
ations, in  the  Leijendary  Tales  of  the  Highlands  of  Sir 
Thomas  Dick  Lauder.  As  related  by  Dean  Stanley  and 
approved  by  Mr.  Campbell,  it  is  this  :  — 

The  ancient  castle  of  Inverawe  stands  by  the  banks 
of  the  Awe,  in  the  midst  of  the  wild  and  picturesque 
scenery  of  the  western  Highlands.  Late  one  evening, 
before  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  as  the  laird,  Dun- 
can Cami)bell,  sat  alone  in  the  old  hall,  there  was  a  loud 
knocking  at  the  gate;  and,  opening  it,  he  saw  a  stranger, 
with  torn  clothing  and  kilt  besmeared  with  blood,  who 
in  a  breathless  voice  begged  for  asylum.  He  went  on  to 
say  that  he  had  killed  a  man  in  a  fray,  and  that  the 
pursuers  were  at  his  heels.  Campbell  promised  to  shel- 
ter him.  "  Swear  on  your  dirk  !  "  said  the  stranger ;  and 
Campbell  swore.  He  then  led  him  to  a  secret  recess  in 
the  depths  of  the  castle.  Scarcely  was  he  hidden  when 
again  there  was  a  loud  knocking  at  the  gate,  and  two 


\} 


W] 


A   LEGEND   OF   TICONDEROGA. 


87 


\9 


armed  men  appeared.  "  Your  cousin  Donald  has  been 
murdered,  and  we  are  looking  for  the  murderer ! " 
Campbell,  remembering  his  oath,  professed  to  have  no 
knowledge  of  the  fugitive ;  and  the  men  went  on  their 
way.  The  laird,  in  great  agitation,  lay  down  to  rest  in  a 
large  dark  room,  where  at  length  he  fell  asleep.  Wak- 
ing suddenly  in  bewilderment  and  terror,  he  saw  the 
ghost  of  the  murdered  Donald  standing  by  his  bedside, 
and  heard  a  hollow  voice  pronounce  the  woids  :  ''  Inver- 
aive !  Inverawe !  blood  has  been  shed.  Shield  not  the 
murderer!''^  In  the  moining  Campl^ell  went  to  the 
hiding-place  of  the  guilty  man  and  told  him  that  he 
could  hai'bor  him  no  longer.  "  You  have  sworn  on  your 
dirk ! "  he  replied ;  and  the  laird  of  Inverawe,  greatly 
perplexed  and  troubled,  made  a  compromise  between 
conflicting  duties,  promised  not  to  betray  his  guest,  led 
him  to  the  neighboring  mountain,  and  hid  him  in  a  cave. 

In  the  next  night,  as  he  lay  tossing  in  feverish  sliun- 
bers,  the  same  stern  voice  awoke  him,  the  ghost  of  his 
cousin  Donald  stood  ngain  at  his  bedside,  and  again  he 
heard  the  same  ap])alllng  words:  '■'' Inverawe !  Inverawe! 
blood  has  been  shed.  /Shield  not  the  m^irderer  !^^  At 
break  of  day  he  hastened,  in  strange  agitation,  to  the 
cave ;  but  it  was  empty,  the  stranger  was  gone.  At 
night,  as  he  strove  in  vain  to  sleep,  the  vision  aj)pearcd 
once  more,  ghastly  ])ale,  but  less  stern  of  aspect  than 
before.  "  Farewell.,  Inverawe  !  "  it  said  ;  "  Farewell.,  till 
we  meet  at  TICONDEROaA!'' 

The  strange  name  dwelt  in  Campbell's  memory.  He 
had  joined  the  Black  Watch,  or  Forty-second  Regiment, 
then  employed  in  keeping  order  in  the  turljulcnt  High- 
lands. In  time  he  became  its  major ;  and,  a  year  or 
two  after  the  war  broke  out,  he  went  with  it  to  America. 
Here,  to  his  horror,  he  learned  that  it  was  ordered  to 


88 


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B 

LAKE  GEORGE  AND  LAKE  CHAMPLAIN. 


1 

1 


tlio  attack  of  Ticoiidoroga.  His  story  was  well  known 
among  his  brotlier  oHicors.  Tlicy  c()nil)incd  among  them- 
selves to  disarm  his  fears ;  and  when  tliey  reached  the 
fatal  spot  they  told  him  on  the  eve  of  the  battle,  "  This 
is  not  Ticonderoga;  we  are  not  there  yet;  this  is  Fort 
George."  But  in  the  morning  Ik;  came  to  them  witli 
haggard  looks.  •'  1  have  seen  him  !  Yon  have  deceived 
me!  lie  came  to  my  tent  last  night!  This  is  Ticon- 
dei'oga !  I  shall  die  to-day ! "  and  his  prediction  was 
fulfilled. 

Such  is  the  tradition.  The  indisputable  facts  are  that 
Major  Duncan  Campbell  of  Inverawe,  his  ai-m  shattered 
by  a  bullet,  was  carried  to  Fort  Edward,  where,  after 
amputation,  he  died  and  was  buried.  (^Ahercromhy  to 
Pitt,  19  Ai(</ud,  1758.)  The  stone  that  marks  his  grave 
may  still  be  seen,  with  this  inscription :  "  Here  lyes  the 
Body  of  Dmiean  Campbell  of  Inverawe,  Eacf^.,  Major  to 
the  old  IIi(/hland  Reyiment,  a(j<'d  55  Years,  tcho  died  the 
17'^  Jul//,  1158^  of  the  Woundti  he  received  in  the  Attack 
of  the  lletrenchmeni  of  Ticonderoga  or  Carrillon,  on  the 
8'^^  July,  1758." 

His  son,  Lieutenant  Alexander  Campbell,  was  severely 
wounded  at  the  same  time,  but  reachci  Scotland  alive, 
and  died  in  Glasgow. 

Mr.  Campbell,  the  present  Inverawe,  in  the  letter  men- 
tioned above,  says  that  forty-five  years  ago  he  knew  an 
old  man  whose  grandfather  was  foster-brother  to  the 
slain  major  of  the  forty-second,  and  who  told  him  the 
following  story  while  carrying  a  salmon  for  him  to  an 
inn  near  Inverawe.  The  old  man's  grandfather  was 
sleeping  with  his  son,  then  a  lad,  in  the  same  room,  but 
in  another  bed.     This  son,  father  of  the  narrator,  "  was 


A   LEGEND   OF   TICOXDEUOGA. 


89 


awakoned,"  to  borrow  the  words  of  Mr.  Campbell  "  by 
some  luiaecu.stomed  sound,  and  beliold  there  was  a  bri-dit 
light  m  tlie  room,  and  he  saw  a  ligure,  in  full  IJi-diland 
regimentals,  cross  over  the  room  and  stoop  down  over 
his  lather's  bed  and  give  him  a  kiss.     Hq  was  too  frioht- 
ened  to  speak,  but  put  his  head  under  his  coverlet  and 
went  to  sleep.    Once  more  he  was  roused  in  like  manner 
and  saw  the  same  sigiit.     In  the  morning  he  spoke  to' 
his  father  about  it,  who  told  him  that  it  was  Macdon- 
iiociiie  [the  Gaelic  patronymic  of  the  laird  of  Inveratrrl 
whoni  he  had  seen,  and  who  camo  to  tell  him  that  he 
had   been  killed   in  a  great  battle   in  America.      Sm-e 
enough    said  my  informant,  it  was  on  the  very  day  that 
the  battle  of  1  iconderoga  was  fought  and  the  laird  was 
Killed. 

It  is  also  said  that  two  ladies  of  the  family  of  Inver- 
awo  saw  a  l.attic  in  the  clouds,  in  which  the  shadowy 
forins  of  I  ighlaud  warriors  were  plainly  to  be  descried; 
and  t ha  when  the  fatal  news  came  from  America,  it  was 
ound  that  the  tin.c  of  the  vision  answercl  .-xactly  to 
that  of  the  battle  in  which  the  head  of  the  family  fell 


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'■"P^ilE    liivfT   Niag'ai'a   svm^  known   (o  th(.'  Joyiiits  a.s 
•*•       farly  us  IGJO      Tlu-  Kuils  arc  iii(iiciit( .!  on  ''[lam- 
plaiiiV  iiifjp  of  .l<!'oii,  urri  ijj   UMs  Uic' Josuit  }t!iv:T!riicau 
i>}>euks  ot  Ou.'tu  a3^  '*  oitaract;  of  frijjfhUnl  ii-'igiu/' 

li<  ItiT'S.  the  V-AU  \v<'f"  vi.-^itril  bv  the  Ulnv  Lnuis 
llinirn'jtiu,  who  givo,:^an  Cixaggenitci)  (icscrijtHoii  of  llieui, 
am!  illihsl rates  it  by  '  i'itrioii><  j'i<'turi\  'I'h'-  uiinic  Xia;^- 
fivn  is  ftf  Iri»<)V«*Ms  «vn'.i:in.  aiui  in  tho  ^Mohawk  dialect  ib 
pr.  r'-v';a<:<"^  N  '  iV.'  •'■^»b- 

Ivt  th.:  )•■■■',)•  .i*  HftMU  ju'n's  Vlf'it.  tifr  followtHS  of  C:lVO- 
lior  <'.^  J,?  "^^uH-'  b»•«■i^.n  a  torhficii  siurrlioni,!-  wIkut-  Lrwis- 

above  the  i-ab-,  Lr-  ':.'!=•  t'uiii  t]p<  ••  (irilhi,;'  <hv;  Hr^t 
vcsM'i  rluit  cTor  .-a.ii'.-f  Of!  !!."•  F[.)|ii'r  Laki  s,  Ar  the 
mmo  iimt^  ho  b»\L''i;u  a  b:it  nt  (lie  inniiili  uf  llir*  rivor. 
La  Sallr^'s  J'on  f'-ll  U>  ruin,  aiul  another  uns  built  in 
its  ]il:K'e  a  to>v  yt';ir^  aifi  r.  Tliip,  loo,  was  abanrlnnod 
to  be  a;iaiii  n*!>ni!t.  aii'i  ihc  post  roniaitUMl  irt  Fi'iicli 
haiuU  more  than  half  a  fr'jit'iry.  It  vas  of  iiic  'ircalcst 
iirsportaneo,  ainco  it  .'omruati  bnl  11m.'  chief  route  ironi 
Cannda  to  the  interii'-  of  tl»e  •"oijtiornt.  At  husxlh,  in 
ITolh  the  your  of  "U'..iO''s  funjous  vi('f(»iy  !i{  Qneboc, 
General  Pridennx  wu.-n  .soe.t  i'>  reihici'  it. 

Pri<leanx  safely  reaeh-.d  N'lugara,  and  laid  r-iepe  to  it. 
Fort  Niatraia  was  a  stronjj:  woik,  lately  rebuilt  in 
regular  form  by  an  excellent  ofticor,  Captain  Fouchot, 


i 


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I  •  r;  ^ 


■■■'"ibfr^ 


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^PMfi 


.  *'5r"'-i  ijticr  i.jt'.^ 


■.;U'  k'      ..    i".    , ■ 

I  M' ■■?:'.  V 


■-^-•'^^''^ 


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nv-  (•: 


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-->■■  i;t 


,  y 


■»«■" ' 


-.-4  ^    ■  •-• 


"KitonMh  '■  ,.<.<:...i9:-, 


*?'^. 


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y 


MHMHI 


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u 


SIEGE  OF   FORT   NIAGARA. 

T^IIE   River  Niagara  was  known  to   the  Josuits  as 
-^       early  as  1G40.     Tiie  Falls  arc  indicated  on  Cham- 
plain's  map  of  16^2,  and  in  1G48  the  Jesuit  Riio-ncncau 
speaks  of  tliera  as  a  "  cataract  of  frightful  height." 

In  1078,  the  Falls  were  visited  by  the  fi-hir  Louis 
IIennei)in,  who  gives  an  exaggerated  description  of  them, 
and  illustrates  it  by  a  curious  jiicture.  Tiie  name  Niag- 
ara is  of  Iro(iuois  origin,  and  in  the  Mohawk  dialect  Is 
pronounced  Nyagarah. 

In  the  year  of  Hennepin's  visit,  the  followers  of  Cavc- 
licr  do  la  Salle  began  a  fortified  storehouse  where  Lewis- 
ton   now  stands,   and  on  Cayuga   Creek,  a   few   miles 
above  the  Falls,  La  Salle  built  the  ''Grilliu,"  the  first 
vessel   that  ever  sailed   on  the  tapper  Lakes.     At  the 
same  time  he  begnn  a  fort  nt  the  mouth  of  the  river. 
La  Salle's  fort  f(dl  to   ruin,  nnd  another  was  built  in 
its  place  a  few  years  after.     This,  too,  was  abandoned 
to  be  again  reltuilt,  and   the  post  remained  in  French 
hands  more  than  half  a  century.     It  was  of  the  great(>st 
imi)ortance,  since  it  connnauded  th<>  chief  r-oute  from 
Canada  to  the  interior  of  the  contiueut.     At  hmgfh,  in 
IToO,  the  year  of  Wolfe's   famous   victory   at   Quebec, 
General  Prideaux  was  sent  to  reduce  it. 

Prideaux  safely  reached  Niagara,  and  laid  siege  to  it. 
Fort  Niagara  was  a  strong  work,  lately  rebuilt  in 
regular  form  by  an  excellent  ofilccr,  Captain  Pouchot, 


94 


NIAGARA. 


:M 


of  the  battalion  of  Bdarn,  who  commanded  it.  It  stood 
wliere  tlie  present  fort  stands,  in  the  angle  formed  )>y 
iha  junction  of  the  River  Niagara  with  Lake  Ontari(j, 
and  was  held  by  about  six  hundred  men,  well  supplied 
with  provisions  and  munitions  of  war.  Higher  up  the 
river,  a  mile  and  a  half  above  the  cataract,  there  was 
another  fort,  called  Little  Niagara,  built  of  wood,  and 
commanded  V)y  the  half-breed  ofiicer,  Joncairc-Chabert, 
wdio  with  his  brother,  Joncalre-Clauzonnc,  and  a  numer- 
ous clan  of  Indian  relatives,  had  long  thwarted  the 
efforts  of  Sir  William  Johnson  to  engage  the  Five 
Nations  in  the  English  cause.  But  recent  English 
successes  had  had  their  effect.  Joncaire's  influence 
was  waning,  and  Johnson  was  now  in  Pridcaux's  camp 
with  nine  hundred  Five  Nation  warriors  pledged  to  fight 
the  French.  Joncaire,  finding  his  fort  untenable,  burned 
it,  and  came  with  his  garrison  and  his  Lidian  friends  to 
reinforce  Niagara. 

Poucbot  had  another  resource,  on  which  he  con- 
fidently relied.  In  obedience  to  an  order  from  Vau- 
dreuil,  the  French  population  of  the  Illinois,  Detroit, 
and  other  distant  posts,  joined  w^ith  troops  of  Westei'n 
Indians,  had  come  down  the  Lakes  to  restore  French 
ascendency  on  the  Ohio.  These  mixed  bands  of  white 
men  and  red,  bushrangers  and  savages,  were  now  gath- 
ered, partly  at  Le  Bauf  and  Venango,  but  chiefly  at 
Presquisle,  under  command  of  Aubry,  Liguoris,  Marin, 
and  other  partisan  chiefs,  the  best  in  Canada.  No 
sooner  did  Pouchot  learn  that  the  English  were  coming 
to  attack  him  than  he  sent  a  messenger  to  summon 
them  all  to  his  aid. 

The  siege  was  begun  in  form,  though  the  English 
engineers  were  so  incompetent  that  the  trenches,  as 
first  laid  out,  were  scoured  by  the  fire  of  the  place,  and 


, 


1 


SIEGE    OF    FORT    NIAGARA. 


95 


\ 


had  to  be  made  anew.  At  last  the  batteries  opened  fire. 
A  shell  from  a  coehorn  l)iirst  prematurely,  just  as  it 
left  the  mouth  of  the  piece,  and  a  fragment  striking 
Prideaux  on  the  head,  killed  him  instantly.  Johnson 
took  conunand  in  his  place,  and  made  up  in  energy  what 
he  lacked  in  skill.  In  two  or  three  weeks  the  fort  was 
in  extremity.  The  ramj»art  was  breached,  more  than 
a  hundred  of  the  gari-ison  were  killed  or  disabled,  and 
the  rest  were  exhausted  with  want  of  sleep.  Pouchot 
watched  anxiously  for  the  promised  succors ;  and  on  the 
morning  of  the  twenty-fourth  of  July  a  distant  firing 
told  him  that  they  were  at  hand. 

Aubry  and  Ligneris,  with  their  motley  following,  had 
left  Presqulslc  a  few  days  before,  to  the  number,  accord- 
ing to  Vaudreuil,  of  eleven  hundred  French  and  two 
hundred  Indians.  Among  them  was  a  body  of  colony 
troops ;  but  the  Frenchmen  of  the  party  were  chiefly 
traders  and  bushrangers  from  the  West,  connecting 
links  between  civilization  and  savagery ;  some  of  them 
indeed  were  mere  white  Indians,  imbued  with  the  ideas 
and  morals  of  the  wigwam,  wearing  hunting-shirts  of 
smoked  deer-skin  embroidered  with  quills  of  the  Canada 
porcupine,  painting  their  faces  black  and  red,  tying 
eagle  feathers  in  their  long  hair,  or  })lastering  it  on  their 
temples  with  a  compound  of  vermilion  and  glue.  They 
were  excellent  woodsmen,  skilful  hunters,  and  perhaps 
the  best  bushfightcrs  in  all  Canada. 

When  Pouchot  heard  the  firing,  he  went  with  a 
wounded  artillery  ofTicer  to  the  bastion  next  the  river ; 
and  as  the  forest  had  been  cut  away  for  a  great  distance, 
they  could  see  more  than  a  mile  and  a  half  along  the 
shore.  There,  by  glimpses  among  trees  and  bushes, 
they  descried  bodies  of  men,  now  advancing,  and  now 
retreating ;  Indians  in  rapid  movement,  and  the  smoke 


96 


NIAGARA. 


W 


of  guns,  the  sound  of  wliich  reuchcd  their  ears  in  heav}' 
volleys,  or  a  sharp  and  angry  rattU'.  Meiuiwhilc  the 
English  cannon  litid  ceased  their  lire,  and  the  silent 
trenches  seemed  deserted,  as  if  their  occupants  were 
gone  to  meet  the  advancing  foe.  There  was  a  call  in 
the  fort  for  volunteers  to  sallv  and  destroy  (he  works : 
but  no  sooner  did  they  show  tli(nnselves  along  the 
covered  wav  than  the  seeming! v  abandoned  tnMiches 
were  thronged  with  men  and  bayonets,  and  the  attempt 
was  given  up.  The  distant  firing  lasted  half  an  hour, 
then  ceased,  and  Pouchot  remained  in  suspense;  till,  at 
two  in  the  afternoon,  a  friendly  Ontmdaga,  who  had 
passed  mmoticed  through  the  English  lines,  came  to 
him  with  the  animuneement  that  the  French  and  their 
{dlies  had  been  routed  and  cut  to  pieces.  l*ouch(jt  would 
not  believe  him. 

Nevertheless  his  tale  was  true,  Johnson,  besides  his 
Indinns,  had  with  him  about  twenty -thi'ce  hundred  men, 
whom  he  was  forced  to  divide  into  three  sei)arate  bodies, 
—  onv  to  guard  the  bateaux,  one  to  guard  the  trenches, 
and  (me  to  fight  Aubry  and  his  band.  This  last  body 
consisted  of  the  provincial  'ight  infantry  and  the  pickets, 
two  companies  of  grr'nidiers,  and  a  hundred  and  fifty 
men  of  the  forty-sixth  reji-iment,  all  under  command  of 
Colonel  Massey.  They  took  post  Ixdiind  an  abatis  at  a 
jdace  called  La  Belle  Famille,  and  t\ui  Five  Nation  war- 
riors ])laced  themselves  on  their  fliU'KS.  These  savages 
had  shown  signs  of  disaffection ;  and  when  the  enemy 
api)roached,  they  opened  a  parley  with  the  French 
Indians,  which,  however,  soon  ended,  and  l)oth  sides 
raised  the  war-whoop.  The  fight  was  brisk  for  a  while ; 
but  at  h'^i  '  v's  men  broke  away  in  a  panic.  The 
FrencJ  '  .•;^  ■  '  to  have  made  desperate  efforts  to 
retrieve    i.v  j;^'    ''•   nearly  all  of  thera  were  killed  or 


SIEGE    OF    FOIIT    NIAGARA. 


97 


captured  ;  whilo  their  follovvora,  after  Iioavy  loss,  fled 
to  their  canoes  and  boats  above  the  cataract,  hastened 
back  to  Lake  p]rie,  l)urned  Prcsquisle,  Le  Banif,  and 
Venango,  and,  joined  by  the  garrisons  of  tliosc  forts, 
4-etreated  to  Detroit,  leaving  the  whole  region  of  the 
upper  Oliio  in  undisi.uted  j.ossession  of  the  Endish. 

At  four  o'clock  on  the  day  of  the  battle,  after  a  fu- 
rious cannonade  on  both  sides,  a  trumpet  sounded  from 
the  trenches,  and  an  officer  a])proached  the  fort  with  a 
summons  to  surrender.     lie  brought  also  a  j)aper  con'- 
taiuing  the  names  of  the  captive  French  ofiicers,  though 
some  of  them  were  spelled  in  a  way  that  defied  recog- 
nition.     Pouchot,  feigning   incredulity,  sent  an   officer 
of  his  own  to  the  English  camp,  who  soon  saw  unan- 
swerable proof  of  the  disaster;  for  here,  under  a  shelter 
of  leaves  and  boughs  near  the  tent  of  Johnson,  sat  Li- 
gneris,  severely  wounded,  with  Aubiy,  Villiers,  Montigny, 
Marin,  and  their  companions  in  misfortune,  — in   all,' 
sixteen  officers,  four  cadets,  and  a  surg(>on. 

Pouchot  had  now  no  choice  but  surrender.  By  tiie 
terms  of  the  capitulation,  the  garrison  were  to  be  sent 
prisoners  to  x\ew  York,  thougli  honors  of  war  were 
granted  them  in  acknowledgment  of  their  courageous 
conduct.  There  was  a  special  stipulation  that  they 
should  be  protected  from  the  Indians,  of  whom  they 
stood  in  the  greatest  terror,  lest  the  massacre  of  Fort 
Wdham  Henry  should  be  avenged  upon  them.  Johnson 
restrained  his  dangerous  allies,  and,  though  the  fort  Was 
pillaged,  no  blood  was  shed. 

The  capture  of  Niagara  was  an  important  stroke. 
Thenceforth  Detroit,  Michillimackinac,  the  Illinois,  and 
all  the  other  French  interior  posts  were  severed  from 
Canada  and  left  in  helpless  isolation.  The  conquest  of 
the  whole  interior  became  only  a  question  of  time. 

7 


iM 


MASSACRE  OF  THE   DEVIL'S   HOLE. 


\  FTER  the  conquest  of  Cainida,  tliero  was  a  j^eneral 
•*^^  u])rising  of  the  Indian  tri])es,  led  ])y  tlie  famous 
Tontiac,  against  the  British  forts  and  settlements.  In 
the  war  that  followijd,  a  remarkable  incident  tocjk  })laee 
a  little  way  below  Niagara  Falls. 

The  carrying-place  of  Niagara  formed  an  essential  link 

n  the  chain  of  conmiunication  between  the  province  of 
New  York  and  the  interior  country.  Men  and  military 
stores  were  conveyed  in  boats  uj)  the  river,  as  far  as  the 
present  site  of  Lewiston.  Thence  a  portage  road,  several 
miles  in  length,  j»assed  along  the  banks  of  the  stream, 
and  terminated  at  Fort  Schlosser,  above  the  cataract. 
This  road  traversed  a  region  whose  sublime  features 
have  gained  for  it  a  world-wide  renown.  The  River 
Niagara,  a  short  distance  below  the  cataract,  assumes  an 
aspect  scarcely  less  remarkable  than  that  stupendous 
scene  itself.  Its  channel  is  formed  by  a  vast  ravine, 
whose  sides,  now  bare  and  weather-stained,  now  shaggy 
with  forest-trees,  rise  in  cliffs  of  appalling  height  and 
steepness.  Along  this  chasm  pour  all  the  waters  of 
the  lakes,  heaving  their  furious  surges  with  the  power 
of  an  ocean  and  the  rage  of  a  mountain  torrent.  About 
three  miles  below  the  cataract,  the  precipices  which  form 
the  eastern  wall  of  the  ravine  are  broken  by  an  abyss  of 
awful  depth  and  blackness,  bearing  at  the  present  day 
the  name  of  the  Devil's  Hole.     In  its  shallowest  part,  the 


MASSACRE    OF   THE    DEVIL'S    HOLE. 


99 


1(1 

of 
er 
lit 
m 


prccii)iL'C  sinks  sliocr  down  to  the  depth  of  eighty  feet, 
where  it  meets  a  ehuotie  mass  of  rocks,  descending  witli 
an  abrupt  declivity  to  unseen  depths  below.  Within  tiie 
cold  and  damj)  recesses  of  the  gulf,  a  host  of  forest-trees 
have  rooted  themselves;  and,  standing  on  the  })erilous 
brink,  one  nuiy  look  down  u|)on  the  mingled  folinge  of 
ash,  poplar,  and  maj)le,  while,  abovi;  them  all,  the  spruce 
and  fir  shoot  their  sharp  and  rigid  sjtires  ujiward  into 
sunlight.  The  roar  of  the  convulsed  river  swells  heav- 
ily on  the  ear,  and,  far  below,  its  hea<llong  Avaters  may 
bo  discerned  careering  in  foam  past  the  openings  of  the 
matted  foliage. 

On  the  thirteenth  of  September,  1703,  a  numerous 
train  of  wagons  and  pack  horses  proceeded  from  the 
lower  landing  to  Fort  Schlosser,  and  on  the  following 
mo^'uing  set  out  on  their  return,  guarded  by  an  escort 
r  wenty-four  soldiers.  They  pursued  their  slow  ]jrog- 
.i.j»  until  they  reached  a  point  where  the  road  j)assed 
alonu:  the  brink  of  the  Devil's  Hole.  The  gulf  vawned 
on  their  left,  while  on  their  right  the  road  was  skirted 
by  low  and  densely  wooded  hills.  Suddenly  they  were 
greeted  by  the  blaze  and  clatter  of  a  hundred  I'ifles. 
Then  followed  the  startled  cries  of  men,  and  the  l)ound- 
ing  of  maddened  horses.  At  the  next  instant,  a  host  of 
Indians  broke  s(;reeching  from  the  woods,  and  rifle-but 
and  tomahawk  linished  the  bloody  work.  All  was  over 
in  a  moment.  Horses  leaped  the  precipice ;  men  were 
driven  shrieking  into  the  al^yss  ;  teams  and  wagons  went 
over,  crashing  to  atoms  among  the  rocks  below.  Tra- 
dition relates  that  the  drummer  bov  of  the  detachment 
was  caught,  in  his  fall,  among  the  branches  of  a  tree, 
where  he  hung  suspended  by  his  drum-strap.  Being 
but  slightly  injured,  he  disengaged  himself,  and,  hiding 
in  the  recesses  of  the  gulf,  finally  escaped.     One  of  the 


100 


NIAGARA. 


I 


toiiinsters  also,  who  was  wounded  at  the  first  fire,  con- 
trived to  ciiiwl  into  the  woods,  where  lie  lay  conei.'uled 
till  the  Indians  had  left  the  place.  JJesides  these  two, 
the  only  survivor  was  Stednian,  the  conductor  of  the 
citnvoy,  who,  heinj^  wtdl  mounted,  and  seeing  the  whole 
parly  forced  helplessly  towards  the  precipice,  wheeled 
his  horse,  and  resolutely  spurred  throuuh  the  crowd  of 
Indians.  One  of  them,  it  is  said,  seized  his  hridle  ;  hut 
he  freed  himself  hy  a  dexterous  use  of  his  knife,  and 
plunued  into  the  woods,  intouched  by  the  bullets  which 
whistled  about  his  head.  Flvinjj^  at  full  speed  through 
the  forest,  he  reacluMl  Fort  Schlosscr  in  safety. 

The  distant  sound  of  the  Indian  rifles  had  been  heard 
by  a  party  of  soldiers,  who  occupied  a  small  fortified 
camp  near  the  lower  landing.  Forming  in  baste,  they 
advanced  eagerly  to  the  rescue.  In  anticipation  of  this 
movement,  the  Indians,  who  were  nearly  five  hundred  in 
number,  had  separated  into  two  parties,  one  of  which 
had  stationed  itself  at  the  Devil's  Hole,  to  waylay  the 
convoy,  while  the  other  formed  an  ambuscade  ui)on  the 
road  a  mile  nearer  the  hmding-jdace.  The  soldiers, 
marching  precipitately,  and  huddled  in  a  close  body, 
were  suddenly  assailed  by  a  volley  of  rifles,  which 
stretched  half  their  numben  dead  upon  the  road.  Then, 
rushing  from  the  forest,  the  Indians  cut  down  the  sur- 
vivors with  merciless  ferocity.  A  small  remnant  onlv 
escaped  the  massacre,  and  fled  to  Fort  Niagara  with  the 
tidings.  Major  Wilkins,  who  commanded  at  this  post, 
lost  no  time  in  marching  to  the  spot,  with  nearly  the 
whole  strength  of  his  garrison.  Not  an  Indian  was  to 
be  found.  At  the  two  places  of  ambuscade,  about 
seventy  dead  bodies  were  counted,  naked,  scalpless,  and 
so  horribly  mangled  that  many  of  them  could  not  be 
recognized.    All  the  wagons  had  been  broken  to  pieces, 


AIASSACUE    OF    TIIK    DKVIL'S    HOLE.  101 


and  such  of  (he  horsus  us  wciu  not  driven  over  tho 
precii.iee  Im.l  been  carried  off,  luden,  doubtU-ss,  witli 
ilio  l»hiiider.  Tlie  anibuseude  of  tlie  Devil's  IJole  hus 
gained  u  ti-aditionary  immortality,  addin-r  fearful  inter- 
est to  a  scene  whose  native  horrors  need  no  aid  from 
I  lie  imagination. 


t*^ 


ft"        • 


)^ 


MONTREAL. 


if     * 


"  i. 


THE  BIRTH  OF  MONTREAL. 

TIT'E  come  now  to  an  enterprise  as  singular  in  its 
cluuacter  as  it  proved  important  in  its  results. 
At  La  Fleche,  in  Anjou,  dwelt  one  Jerome  le  Rover  de 
ia  Dauversiere,  receiver  of  taxes.     liis  portrait  shows 
us  a  round,  bourrfeols  face,  somewhat   heavy   perhaps, 
decorated   with  a   slight   musta«_']ie,   and   redeemed   by 
bright  and  earnest  eyes.     On  his  head  he  wears  a  black 
skull-cap  ;  and  over  his  ample  shoulders  spreads  a  stiff 
white  collar,  oi  wide  expanse  and  studious  plainness. 
Though  he  belonged  to  the  noblesse,  his  look  is  that  of 
a  grave  bui-gher,  of  good  renown  and  sage  deportment. 
Dauversiere  was,  liowever,  an  enthusiastic  devotee,  of 
mystical  tendencies,  who  whipixMl  himself  with  a  scou'rgc 
of  small  chains  till  his  shoulders  were  one  wound,  wore 
a  belt  with  more  than  twelve  hundred  sharp  jwints,  and 
invented  for  himself   other   torments,  which   filled  his 
conl-ssor  with  admiration.     One  day,  while  at  his  devo- 
tions, he  heard  an   inward  voice  commanding  him  to 
become  the  founder  of  a  new  Order  of  hospital  nuns  ; 
and  he  was  further  ordered  to  establish,  on  the  island 
called  Montreal,  in  Canada,  a  hospital,  or  irOtel-Dieu, 
to  be  conducted  by  tiiese  nims.     Hut  Montreal  was  a 
wilderness,  and  the  hospital  would   have  no   patients. 
Therefore,  in  order  to  supply  them,  the  island  must  first 
be  colonized.     Dauversiere  was  greatly  jierplexed.     On 
the  one   hand,  the  voice  of  Heaven   must  be  obeyed  ; 


I   I 


106 


MONTREAL. 


on  the  other,  he  had  a  wife,  six  children,  and  a  very 
moderate  fortune. 

Again :  there  was  at  Paris  a  young  priest,  about 
twenty-eight  years  of  age,  —  Jean  Jacc^ucs  Olier,  after- 
wards widely  known  as  founder  of  the  Seminary  of  St. 
Sulpice.  Judged  by  his  engraved  portrait,  his  counte- 
nance, though  marked  both  with  energy  and  intellect, 
was  anything  but  prepossessing.  Every  lineament  i)ro- 
claims  the  priest.  Yet  the  Abb^  Olier  has  high  titles 
to  esteem.  He  signalized  his  piety,  it  is  true,  by  the 
most  disgusting  exploits  of  self-mortification  ;  but,  at 
the  same  time,  he  was  strenuous  in  his  efforts  to  reform 
the  people  and  the  clergy.  So  zealous  was  he  for  good 
morals,  that  he  drew  upon  himself  the  imputation  of  a 
leaning  to  the  heresy  of  the  Jansenists,  —  a  suspicion 
strengthened  by  his  opposition  to  certain  pi'iests,  who, 
to  secure  the  faithful  in  their  allegiance,  justified  them 
in  lives  of  licentiousness.  Yet  Oiler's  catholicity  was 
])ast  attaintmcnt,  and  in  his  horror  of  Jansenists  he 
yielded  to  the  Jesuits  alone. 

He  was  praying  in  the  ancient  church  of  St.  Germain 
des  Pr(3s,  when,  like  Dauversi^re,  he  thought  he  heard 
a  voice  from  Heaven,  saying  that  he  was  destined  to  be 
a  light  to  the  Gentiles.  It  is  recorded  as  a  mystic  coin- 
cidence attending  this  miracle,  that  the  choir  was  at 
that  very  time  ciumting  the  words,  Lumen  ad  revela- 
tionem  Gentium;  and  it  seems  to  have  occurred  neither 
to  Olier  nor  to  his  biographer,  that,  falling  on  the  ear 
of  the  rapt  worshipper,  they  might  have  unconsciously 
suggested  the  supposed  revelation.  But  there  was  a 
further  miracle.  An  inward  voice  told  Olier  that  he 
was  to  form  a  society  of  priests,  and  establish  them  on 
the  island  called  Montreal,  in  Canada,  for  the  j)ropa- 
gation  of  the  True  Faith  ;   and  writers  old  and  recent 


THE   BIRTH   OF   MONTREAL. 


107 


assert,  that,  while  both  he  and  Dauversiere  were  totally 
ignorant  of  Canadian  geography,  they  suddenly  found 
themselves  in  possession,  they  knew  not  how,  of  the 
most  exact  details  concerning  Montreal,  its  size,  shape, 
situation,  soil,  climate,  and  productions. 

Tlie  annual  volumes  of  the  Jesuit  Relations,  issuing 
from  the  renowned  press  of  Cramoisy,  were  at  this  time 
spread  broadcast  throughout  France  ;  and,  in  the  circles 
of  haiLte  devotion.  Canada  and  its  missions  were  evcrv- 
where  the  themes  of  enthusiastic  discussion;  while 
Champlain,  in  his  published  works,  had  long  before 
pointed  out  Montreal  as  the  proper  site  for  a  settlement. 
But  we  are  entering  a  region  of  miracle,  and  it  is  super- 
fluous to  look  far  for  explanations.  The  illusion,  in 
these  cases,  is  a  part  of  tiie  history. 

Dauversiere  ])ondered  the  revelation  he  had  received  ; 
and  the  more  he  pondered,  the  more  was  he  convinced 
that  it  came  from  God.  He  therefore  set  out  for  Paris, 
to  find  some  means  of  accomplishing  the  task  assigned 
him.  Here,  as  he  prayed  before  an  image  of  the  Vii-gin 
in  the  church  of  Notre-Daine,  he  fell  into  an  ecstasy, 
and  beheld  a  vision.  "  I  should  be  false  to  the  integrity 
of  history,"  writes  his  biographer,  "  if  I  did  not  relate 
it  here."  And  he  adds,  that  the  reality  of  this  celestial 
favor  is  past  doubting,  inasmuch  as  Dauversiere  himself 
told  it  to  his  daughters.  Christ,  the  Virgin,  and  St. 
Joseph  appeared  before  him.  lie  saw  them  distinctly, 
Then  he  heard  Christ  ask  three  times  of  his  Virgin 
Mother,  Where  can  I  find  a  faithful  servant?  On  which, 
the  Virgin,  taking  him  (Dauversiere)  l)y  the  hand, 
replied,  See,  Lord,  here  is  that  faithful  servant!  —  and 
Christ,  with  a  benignant  smile,  received  him  into  his  ser- 
vice, promising  to  bestow  on  him  wisdom  and  strength  to 
do  his  work.     From  Paris  he  went  to  the  neighboring 


108 


MONTREAL. 


cliateau  of  Mcudon,  which  overlooks  the  valley  of  the 
Seine,  not  far  from  St.  Cloud.  Enterini^  the  gallery 
of  the  old  castle,  he  saw  a  f)riest  approaching  him.  It 
was  Olicr.  Now  we  arc  told  that  neither  of  these  men 
had  ever  seen  or  heard  of  the  other ;  and  yet,  says  the 
pious  historian,  "  impelled  by  a  kind  of  inspiration,  they 
knew  each  other  at  once,  even  to  the  depths  of  their 
hearts ;  saluted  each  other  by  name,  as  we  read  of  St. 
Paul,  the  Hermit,  and  St.  Anthony,  and  of  St.  Dominic 
and  St.  Francis ;  and  ran  to  embrace  each  other,  like 
two  friends  who  had  met  after  a  long  separation." 

"Monsieur,"  exclaimed  Olier,  "1  know  your  design, 
and  I  go  to  commend  it  to  God  at  the  holy  altar." 

And  he  went  at  once  to  say  mass  in  the  chapel. 
Dauversiere  received  the  communion  at  his  hands ;  and 
then  they  walked  for  three  hours  in  the  park,  discussing 
their  ])lans.  They  were  of  one  mind,  in  respect  both  to 
objects  and  means ;  and  when  they  parted,  Olier  gave 
Dauversiere  a  hundred  louis,  saying,  "  This  is  to  begin 
the  work  of  God." 

They  proposed  to  found  at  Montreal  three  religious 
communities,  —  three  being  the  mystic  number,  —  one 
of  secular  priests  to  direct  the  colonists  and  convert  the 
Indians,  one  of  nuns  to  nurse  the  sick,  and  one  of  nuns 
to  teach  the  Faith  to  the  children,  white  and  red.  To 
borrow  their  own  phrases,  they  would  plant  the  banner 
of  Christ  in  an  abode  of  desolation  and  a  haunt  of 
demons ;  and  to  this  end  a  band  of  priests  and  Momen 
were  to  invade  the  wilderness,  and  take  post  between 
the  fangs  of  the  Iroquois.  But  first  they  must  make 
a  colony,  and  to  do  so  must  raise  money.  Olier  had 
pious  and  wealthy  penitents ;  Dauversiere  had  a  friend, 
the  Haron  de  Fancamp,  devout  as  himself  and  far  richer. 
Anxious  for  his  soul,  and  satisfied  that  the  enterprise 


;allery 
n.  It 
ic  men 
ys  the  , 
1,  they 
I  their 
of  St. 
ominic 
:r,  like 


begin 


ligious 
—  one 
ert  tlie 
'  nuns 
I.  To 
)anner 
unt  of 
■women 
tween 
make 
}v  had 
friend, 
richer, 
rprise 


TnE  Burn  I  of  Montreal. 


109 


was  an  inspiration  of  (lod,  he  was  eager  to  b(^ar  part  in 
it.  Olier  soon  found  three  others;  and  the  six  t<)g(>tlier 
formed  the  germ  of  the  Sjeiety  of  Notre-Danu!  de  ^hju- 
treal.  Among  them  they  raised  tlie  sum  of  seventy-fivo 
tliousand  livres,  equivalent  to  about  as  many  dollars  at 
the  present  day. 

Now^  to  look  for  a  moment  at  their  plan.  Their 
eulogists  say,  and  uilh  perfect  truth,  that,  from  a 
worldly  point  of  view,  it  was  mere  folly.  The  ])artners 
mutually  bound  themselves  to  seek  no  return  for  the 
money  ex])ended.  Their  profit  was  to  be  reaped  in  the 
skies :  and,  indeed,  there  was  none  to  be  reaped  on 
earth.  The  feeble  settlement  at  Quebec  was  at  this 
time  in  danger  of  utter  ruin ;  for  the  Iroquois,  enraged 
at  the  attacks  made  on  them  by  Champlain,  had  begun 
a  fearful  course  of  retaliation,  and  the  very  existence  of 
the  colony  trembled  in  the  balance.  But  if  Quebec  was 
exposed  to  their  ferocious  inroads,  ^lontreal  was  in- 
comparably more  so.  A  settlement  here  would  be  a 
perilous  outpost,  —  a  hand  thrust  into  the  jaws  of  the 
tiger.  It  Avould  provoke  attack,  and  lie  almost  in  the 
path  of  the  war-piirties.  The  Associates  could  gain  noth- 
ing bv  the  fur-trade ;  for  thev  would  not  be  allowed  to 
share  in  it.  On  the  other  hand,  danger  apart,  the  place 
was  an  excellent  one  for  a  mission  ;  for  here  met  two 
great  rivers :  the  St.  Lawrence,  with  its  countless  trib- 
utaries, flowed  in  from  the  west,  while  the  Ottawa  de- 
scended from  the  north ;  and  Montreal,  embraced  by 
their  uniting  waters,  was  the  key  to  a  vast  inland  navi- 
gation. Thither  the  Indians  would  naturally  resort ; 
and  thence  the  missionaries  could  make  their  way  into 
the  heart  of  a  boundless  heathendom.  None  of  the  ordi- 
nary motives  of  colonization  had  part  in  this  design.  It 
owed  its  conception  and  its  birth  to  religious  zeal  alone. 


I     I 


F    !%; 


110 


MONTREAL. 


The  island  of  Montreal  belonf^ed  to  Lauson,  former 
president  of  the  great  company  of  the  Hundred  Associ- 
ates ;  and  his  son  had  a  monopoly  of  fishing  in  the 
8t.  Lawrence.  Dauversiere  and  Fancamp,  after  much 
diplomacy,  succeeded  in  persuading  the  elder  Lauson  to 
transfer  his  title  to  them ;  and,  as  there  was  a  defect  in 
it,  they  also  obtained  a  grant  of  the  island  from  the 
Hundred  Associates,  its  original  owners,  Avho,  however, 
I'cservcd  to  themselves  its  western  extremity  as  a  site 
for  a  fort  and  storehouses.  At  the  same  time,  the 
younger  Lauson  granted  them  a  I'iglit  of  fishery  within 
two  leagues  of  the  shores  of  the  island,  for  which  they 
were  to  make  a  yearly  iicknowledginent  of  ten  pounds 
of  fish.  A  confiriiKition  </  these  grants  was  obtained 
from  the  King.  Damer&iLii;  and  his  com})anions  were 
now  sci'i/iieurs  of  ^lon^i'cnl.  They  were  em})owered  to 
appoint  a  governor,  and  to  ita.>iiNji  courts,  from  which 
there  was  to  be  an  ap})eal  to  the  Supreme  Conrt  of 
Quebec,  supposing  such  to  exist.  They  were  excluded 
from  the  fur-trade,  and  forbidden  to  build  castles  or  forts 
other  than  such  as  were  necessary  for  defence  against 
the  Indians. 

Their  title  assured,  they  matured  their  plan.  First 
they  would  send  out  forty  men  to  take  possession  of 
Montreal,  intrench  themselves,  and  raise  croi)s.  Then 
they  Avould  build  a  house  for  the  priests,  and  two  con- 
vents for  the  nuns.  Meanwhile,  Olier  was  toiling  at 
Vaugirard,  on  the  outskirts  of  Paris,  to  inaugurate  the 
seminary  of  priests,  and  Dauversiere  at  La  Flechc,  to 
form  the  community  of  hospital  nuns.  How  the  school 
nuns  were  provided  for  we  shall  see  hereafter.  The 
■colony,  it  will  be  observed,  was  for  the  convents,  not  the 
convents  for  the  colony. 

The   Associates   needed   a   soldier-governor  to   take 


former 
Associ- 
in  the 
V  much 
lu.son  to 
efect  ill 
•om  the 
lowever, 
s  a  site 
me,  the 
y-  within 
eh  thev 
pounds 
obtained 
)ns  were 
vercd  to 
ni  wliich 
Dourt  of 
xchided 
or  forts 
against 

First 

ssion  of 

Then 

o  con- 

iling  at 

ate  the 

'che,  to 

school 

The 

not  the 

0   take 


THE    BIRTH    OF    MONTREAL. 


Ill 


charge  of  their  forty  men;  and.  directed  as  they  sup- 
])0sed  by  Providence,  they  foimd  one  wholly  to  their 
mind.  Tliis  was  Paul  de  Ciiomedey,  Sieiir  de  Maison- 
neuve,  a  devout  and  valiant  gentleman,  who  in  long 
service  among  the  heretics  of  Jlolhmd  had  i^ept  his 
faith  intact,  and  liad  lield  himself  resolutely  aloof  from 
the  license  that  surrounded  him.  lie  loved  his  profes- 
sion of  arms,  and  wislied  to  consecrate  his  sword  to  the 
Church.  Past  all  comparison,  he  is  the  manliest  figure 
that  appears  in  this  grouj)  of  zealots.  The  piety  of  the 
design,  the  miracles  that  inspired  it,  the  adventure  and 
tlie  peril,  all  combined  to  charm  him  ;  and  he  eagerly  cm- 
braced  the  enterprise.  His  father  ()[)posed  his  purpose ; 
but  he  met  him  with  a  text  of  St.  Mark,  "  There  is  no 
man  that  hath  left  house  or  brethren  or  sisters  or  father 
for  my  sake,  but  he  shall  receive  an  hundred-fold."  On 
this  the  elder  ^Maisoiineuve,  deceived  l)y  his  own  world- 
liness,  imagined  that  the  plan  covered  some  hidden 
speculation,  from  which  enormous  profits  were  ex))eeted, 
and  therefore  withdrew  his  o])position. 

Their  scheme  was  rii)ening  fast,  when  both  Oiler  and 
Dauversiore  were  assailed  by  one  of  those  revulsions  of 
spirit,  to  Avhich  saints  of  the  ecstatic  school  are  natu- 
rally liable.  Dauversiere,  in  ])articular,  was  a  prey  to 
the  extremity  of  dejection,  uncertainty,  and  misgiving. 
What  hiid  he,  a  family  man,  to  do  with  ventures  beyond 
sea?  Was  it  not  his  first  duty  to  support  his  wife  and 
children  ?  Could  he  not  fulfil  all  his  obligations  as  a 
Christian  by  reclaiming  the  wicked  and  relieving  the 
poor  at  La  Fleche  ?  Plainly,  he  had  doubts  that  his 
vocation  was  genuine.  If  we  could  raise  the  curtain  of 
liis  domestic  life,  perha{)s  avc  should  find  him  beset  by 
wife  and  daughters,  tearful  and  wrathful,  inveighing 
against  his  folly,  and  imploring  him  to  provide  a  sup- 


112 


MONTREAL. 


i 


i 
i 


I  ! 

r  t 
I  i 

r: 


1    I 


\  I    : 


'    I- 


port  for  them  before  sqiiandijriiig  his  money  to  phant  a 
convent  of  nuns  in  u  wilderness.  How  lon<^  his  lit  of 
dejection  lasted  does  not  appear;  but  at  leni^th  lu;  set 
himself  ai^'ain  to  his  appointed  work.  Olier,  too,  enierg- 
in<^  from  the  clouds  and  darkness,  foinid  failh  once 
more,  and  again  j)laced  himself  at  the  head  of  the  great 
enterprise. 

"^rhere  was  imr)erativo  need  of  more  money ;  and  Dau- 
versierc,  nnder  judicious  guidance,  Avas  active  in  obtain- 
ing it.  This  miserable  victim  of  illusions  had  a  squat, 
uncourtly  figure,  and  was  no  jiroficient  in  the  gra(;es 
either  of  manners  or  of  speech:  lience  his  success  in 
commending  Ids  objects  to  persons  of  rank  and  wealth 
is  set  down  as  one  of  the  many  miracles  which  attended 
the  birlh  of  ]\Iontreal.  I>ut  zeal  and  earnestness  aic 
in  themselves  a  power;  and  the  gi-onnd  had  been  well 
marked  out  and  jiloughed  for  him  in  advance.  That 
attractive,  though  intricate,  sul)jcct  of  study,  the  female 
mind,  has  always  engaged  the  attention  of  jiriests,  mor(^ 
especially  in  countries  where  as  in  France,  women  ex(>rt 
a  strong  social  and  j)olitlcal  influence.  The  art  of  kin- 
dling the  flames  of  zeal,  and  the  moi-e  dilficult  art  of 
directing  and  controlling  them,  have  been  themes  of  re- 
flection the  most  diligent  and  profound.  Accordingly 
we  find  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  money  raised  for 
this  enterprise  was  contributed  l)y  devout  ladies.  Many 
of  them  became  members  of  the  Association  of  Mon- 
treal, which  was  eventually  increased  to  about  forty-five 
persons,  chosen  for  their  devotion  and  their  wealth. 

Olier  and  his  associates  had  resolved,  though  not  from 
any  collapse  of  zeal,  to  postpone  the  establishment  of 
the  seminary  and  the  college  until  after  a  settlement 
should  be  formed.  The  hospital,  however,  might,  they 
thought,  be  begun  at  once ;  for  blood  and  blows  would 


THE    HinTII    OF    MONTHKAL. 


113 


0  plant  a 
Ills  fit  of 
tl»  lie  sot 
1),  emcrg- 
lilli  oiico 
the  j^reat 

an<l  Dan- 
ill  obtain- 

1  a  squat, 
ic  graces 
luecoss  in 
11(1  wealth 

attentle(l 
;tiicss  are 
boon  well 
30.      Tiiat 
10  female 
sts,  more 
nen  exert 
,  of  kill- 
lit  art  of 
los  of  re- 
ordingly 
aiscd  for 
.     Many 
of  Mon- 
forty-five 
1th* 

not  from 
iment  of 
ittlemont 
ght,  they 
ws  would 


bo  the  assured  portion  of  the  first  settlers.  At  least,  a 
disercot  woman  ought  to  embark  witii  the  first  colonists 
as  their  nurse  and  housekeeijor.  Searcely  was  thi;  need 
recognized  when  it  was  supplied. 

Madcinoisello  Jcanue  Maiiee  was  born  of  an  hoiiDrnblo 
family  of  Nogent-le-l\oi,  and  in  1(!4()  was  thirl, -lour 
years  of  age.  Those  Canadian  heroines  l)egau  their  re- 
ligious ox[)ciMences  early.  Of  Mai'ie  de  rincarnatiou  W(; 
read,  that  at  the  age  of  seven  Christ  iii)])eared  to  her 
in  a  vision  ;  and  the  biogi'a]»her  of  Mademoiselle  Manee 
assures  us,  with  admiring  gravity,  that,  at  the  siinie  ten- 
der ago,  she  bound  herself  to  God  by  a  vow  of  i»erj)etual 
chastity.  This  singular  infant  in  due  time  became  a 
woman,  of  a  delicate  constitution,  and  manners  graceful, 
vet  diunilied.  Thouu-h  an  earnest  devotee,  she  felt  no 
vocation  for  the  cloister;  yet,  while  still  "  in  the  world," 
she  led  the  life  of  a  nun.  The  Jesuit  Jlclatt'onfi,  and  the 
example  of  Madame  de  la  Peltrie,  f)f  whom  she  had 
heard,  inoculated  her  with  the  Canndian  enthusiasm, 
then  so  prevalent;  and,  under  the  [jretence  of  visiting 
relatives,  she  made  a  journey  to  Paris,  to  take  counsel 
of  certain  priests.  Of  one  thing  she  was  assured  :  the 
Divine  will  called  her  to  Canada,  but  to  what  end  she 
neither  knew  nor  asked  to  know ;  for  she  abiindoned 
herself  as  an  atom  to  bo  borne  to  unknown  destinies  on 
the  breath  of  God.  At  Paris,  Father  St.  Jure,  a  Jesuit, 
assured  her  that  her  vocation  to  Canada  was,  ])ast 
doubt,  a  call  from  Heaven;  while  Father  Ra})in,  a  R6- 
collet,  spread  abroad  the  fame  of  her  virtues,  and  intro- 
duced her  to  many  ladies  of  rank,  wealth,  and  zeal. 
Then,  well  supplied  with  money  for  any  ])ious  work  to 
which  she  might  be  summoned,  she  journeyed  to  Ro- 
chollo,  whence  ships  were  to  sail  for  New  Franco.  Thus 
far  she  had  been   kept  in  ignorance  of  the  plan  with 

8 


Wk 


I 


I  !'  ' 


lU 


WOXTUKAL 


I      I 


ivgtard  in  ^roiitrcal ;  hni,  now  Father  La  Place,  a  Jesuit, 
revealed  i<  to  Iut.  Oil  (he  diiy  alter  her  arrival  at 
Uoehelle,  as  she  eiitend  the  Church  of  tin;  Jesuits,  she 
met  Hauversirre  cominij;  out.  "Then,"  says  lior  biogra- 
})li('r,  •'  thescf  two  persons,  who  had  never  seen  nor  hcai'd 
of  eacli  otluM',  were  enlightened  su|)(U'natui'ally,  whereby 
th(>ir  most  hidden  thoughts  were  nuitually  made  known, 
as  had  hai>pened  already  with  M.  Olier  and  this  sanit;  M. 
d(i  hi  Pauversiere."  A  long  conversation  ensued  between 
them  ;  and  the  delights  of  this  interview  were  nevci" 
effaced  from  the  mind  of  Mademoisidle  Mance.  "  She 
used  to  speak  of  it  like  a  seraph,"  writes  one  of  lier 
nuns,  "and  far  better  than  many  a  learn(Ml  doctor  could 
have  done." 

She  had  f(»und  her  destiny.  The  oeean,  the  wilder- 
ness, the  solitude,  the  Iroquois,  —  uolhing  daunted  her. 
Sh(.'  would  go  to  Montreal  with  Maisouneuvo  and  his 
forty  men.  Yet,  when  the  vessel  was  about  to  sail,  a 
new  and  sharp  misgiving  seized  her  How  cotdd  she,  a 
woman,  not  yet  bereft  of  youth  or  charms,  live  alone 
in  the  forest,  among  a  trooj)  of  soldiers?  Ifer  semph^s 
were  relieved  by  two  uf  the  men,  who,  at  the  hist  mo- 
ment, refused  to  embark  Avithout  their  wives,  —  and  by 
a  young  woman,  who,  impelled  by  enthusiasm,  escaped 
from  her  friends,  and  took  passage,  in  spito  of  them,  in 
one  of  the  vessels. 

All  was  ready;  the  ships  set  sail;  but  Olier,  Dauver- 
siere,  and  Fancamp  remained  at  home,  as  did  also  the 
other  Associates,  with  the  exception  of  Maisonneuvo 
and  Mademoiselle  Mance.  In  the  following  February, 
an  impressive  scene  took  place  in  the  Church  of  Notre- 
Dame,  at  Paris.  The  Associates,  at  this  time  number- 
ing about  forty-five,  with  Olier  at  their  head,  assembled 
before  the  altar  of  the  Virgin,  and,  b}'  a  solemn  cerenio- 


THE    lilUTlI    OF    iMONTliKAL. 


110 


iico,  a  Jesuit, 
n*    arrival   at 
>  Jesuits,  she 
•s  her  biogra- 
^(»n  nor  hennl 
ally,  wliorcby 
ma(U'  known, 
ibis  sanit;  M. 
isuod  bdwoon 
y  were    never 
Glance.     "  Sbe 
L>s  on(;  of  Inn- 
d  doeior  eould 

n,  the  wildor- 
f  daunted  ber. 
iieuve  and  liis 
hout  b)  sad,  a 
\v  eould  she,  a 
jius,  live  alone 
Her  seruples 
;  the  last  mo- 
ves,—  and  by 
iasm,  escai)ed 
to  of  tbeni,  in 

Olier,  Dauver- 
[s  did  also  tbc 
Maisonneuvc 
ring  February, 
lurch  of  Notre- 
timc  number- 
)ad,  assembled 
lolemn  ceremo- 


nial, conseerateil  Montre.d  to  the  Holy  Family.  Ileiiee- 
t'orlli  it  was  to  be  called  Villtinaric  df  Montrctil,  —  u 
sacred  town,  reared  to  tbe  honor  and  under  the  patron- 
age! of  Clirist,  ?^\.  Joscj)!!,  and  tbe  \'irgin,  to  he  tspilied 
)ty  tlircc!  jtcrsons  on  eai'tli,  founders  respeittiveiy  of  llie 
three  destine(l  eKnnnuniiies,  —  Olier,  Danversiere,  and 
a  maiden  of  TroNcs,  Marguerite  IJourgeovs  :  tbe  semi- 
narv  to  be  consecrated  to  Clirist,  the  Jlntel-Dien  to  St. 
Josepb,  and  tlu;  college!  to  tbe  Virgi;.).. 

IJnt  w(;  are  anticipating  a  little;  for  it  was  sevei'al 
yeai's  us  yet  before!  Margueirite  IJourgeoys  tooic  an  active 
part  in  the  work  of  Montreal.  Slie  was  tbe  daughter  of 
a  I'espectable  tradesman,  and  was  mnv  twentv-two  vears 
of  age.  Her  jiortrait  has  come  down  to  us;  and  her 
face  is  a  mirror  of  loyalty  and  womanly  tenderness. 
Her  (puilities  W(!re  those  of  good  sense,  conscientious- 
ness, and  a  warm  heart.  She  had  known  no  miracles, 
ecstasies,  or  trances ;  and  though  afterwards,  when  her 
religions  susceptibilities  bad  reached  a  fuller  develo[)- 
ment,  a  few  such  are  recorded  of  her,  yet  even  the  Abbe!: 
Fail  Ion,  with  the  best  intentions,  can  credit  her  with  i)ut 
a  meagre  allowance  of  these  celestial  favors.  Though 
in  tbe  midst  of  visionaries,  she  distrusted  the  super- 
natural, and  avowed  lier  b'lief,  that,  in  Flis  government 
of  tbe  world,  (Jod  does  not  often  set  aside  its  ordinary 
laws  Her  religion  was  of  the  affections,  and  was  mani- 
fested in  an  absorbinu'  devotion  to  dutv.  She  had  felt 
no  vocation  to  tbc  cloister,  but  had  taken  the  vow  of 
chaftity,  and  was  attached,  as  an  externe,  to  the  Sisters 
ol  the  Congregation  ot  Troves,  who  were  fevered  with 
eagerness  to  go  to  Canada.  Marguerite,  however,  was 
content  to  wait  until  there  was  a  prospect  that  she  could 
do  good  by  going;  and  it  was  not  till  the  year  1653,  that, 
renomicing  an  inheritance,  and  giving  all  she  had  to  the 


IIG 


MONTIIKAL. 


N# 


!  f  ! 


I 


I    '1 


!  i! 


poor,  hIio  cinharktMl  for  Uic  .siiva<r(^  scone  of  licp  lu))or.s. 
To  this  tlay,  in  crowded  seliool-roonis  of  Montreal  and 
Quebec,  lit  nioninuents  of  lier  unol)trusive  virtue,  li«-r 
«uccess(jrs  instruct  tlie  children  of  the  poor,  and  embalm 
tlie  pleasant  nieniorv  ot  Mar«nierite  IJonrueovH.  In  the 
martial  li'^iire  of  Maisonneuve,  and  the  fail"  form  of  this 
^n'ulle  nun,  we  find  the  ti'ue  heroes  of  Montreal. 

Maisonneuve,  with  ids  forty  hkmi  and  four  women, 
reached  Quebec  too  late  to  ascend  to  Montreal  that 
season.  They  encountered  distrust,  jealousy,  and  o|>po- 
sition.  The  a<i('nts  of  the  Conijiany  (»f  the  llumh-ed 
Associates  looked  on  them  askanc(! ;  and  the  (Jovernor 
of  Quebec,  Montmagny,  saw  a  rival  governor  in  Maison- 
neuve. Kvery  means  was  used  to  persuade;  the  advent- 
urers to  abandim  their  ]»roject,  and  setth*  at  Quebec. 
Moutmau'uy  calleil  a  council  of  the  principal  persons  of 
his  colony,  who  gave  it  as  their  ojtinion  that  the  new- 
comers had  better  exchange  Montreal  for  the  Island  of 
Orleans,  where  they  would  be  in  a  position  to  give  and 
receive  succor;  while,  by  persisting  in  their  fust  design, 
they  would  expose  th(Mnselv(\s  to  destruction,  and  he  of 
use  to  nobody.  Maisonneuve,  who  was  present,  ex|)ressed 
his  surprise  that  they  should  assume  to  direct  his  affairs. 
"  I  lni\  e  not  come  here,"  he  said,  '"  to  deliberate,  but 
to  act.  It  is  my  duty  and  my  honor  to  found  a  col- 
ony at  Montreal ;  and  1  would  go,  if  every  tree  were  an 
Iroquois  I  " 

At  Quel)ec  there  was  little  ability  and  no  inclination 
to  shelter  the  new  colonists  for  the  winter ;  and  they 
would  have  fared  ill,  but  for  the  generosity  of  M.  Pui- 
scaux,  Avho  lived  not  far  distant,  at  a  place  called  St. 
Michel.  This  devout  and  most  hospitable  jierson  made 
room  for  them  all  in  his  rough,  but  capacious  dwelling. 
Their  neighbors  were  the  hospital  nuns,  then  living  at 


THE    niUTM    OK    MONTHKAL. 


117 


f  Ikm"  labors, 
loiitrcal  and 
,!  virtue,  Imt 
antl  c'lubalni 
M)y.s.  In  Ihr 
I'oini  ol  Ibis 
real . 

four  women, 
lontrenl    ilial 
sy,  and  oppo- 
Ibe    Ilinidred 
tlic  (lovci  nor 
or  in  Mais(»u- 
(•  tlie  advent- 
le  at   Quebec, 
al   persons  of 
tbat  tbe  new- 
tbe  Isbmd  of 
to  jiivo  and 
lirst  dcsiirn, 
)n,  and  be  of 
nt.  (expressed 
;l  bis  affairs, 
'liberate,  but 
fttund   a  col- 
lice  were  an 

0  inclination 
or;  and  tbey 
y  of  M.  Pui- 
ce  called  St. 
jierson  made 
)us  dwelling, 
leii  living  at 


tbe  mission  of  Sillery,  in  a  substantial,  l»ut  comfortless 
bouse  of  stone  ;  wliere,  amidst  destitution,  sickness,  and 
ii'repressii)le  ilisiiMist  at  tbe  liltb  of  tbe  sa\a;j,'es  wliom 
tbev  bad  in  ebarir*-,  tbey  weri'  laboriu^i;'  day  and  ni^'lit 
witb  devoted  assiduity.  Amon;^'  tlu;  minor  ills  wliieb 
beset  liiem  were  tbe  eeeentiieities  of  one  of  tbeir  lay 
riisters,  crazed  witli  religious  (intbusiasm,  wbo  bad  tbe 
care  of  tbeir  poultry  and  domestic  animals,  of  wbicb 
slie  was  accustomed  to  inijuii'e,  one  by  one,  if  tbey  loved 
C!o(l  ;  wben,  not  receiving  an  immediate  answer  in  tbo 
allii'mative,  sbe  would  instantly  put  tbcm  to  deatb, 
telling  tliem  tbat  tbeir  impiety  deserved  no  better 
fate. 

Early  in  Afay,  Maisonneuve  and  bis  b)llowers  (Mu- 
barked.  Tbey  bad  .iraini'd  an  unexjtected  recruit  diwing 
tbe  winter,  in  tbe  person  of  Madame  dc  la  I'eltrie, 
foundress  of  tbe  Ursuliues  of  (Quebec.  Tlie  l)iety,  tbo 
ovelty,  and  tbe  romance  of  tbeir  entei'prise,  all  bad 
.neir  cbarms  for  tbe  fair  entbusiast  ;  and  iin  irresisti- 
ble impulse —  imputed  by  a  slandering  bistoi'ian  to  the 
levity  of  lier  sex  —  urged  ber  to  sliare  tbeir  fortunes. 
Her  zeal  was  more  admired  by  tbe  Montrealists  wbom 
sbe  joined  tban  by  tbe  Ursulines  wbom  sbe  abandoned. 
Sbe  carried  off  all  tbe  furniture  sbe  bad  lent  tbem, 
and  left  tbcm  in  the  utmost  destitution.  Nor  did  sbe 
remain  quiet  after  rcacbing  Montreal,  but  was  j)resently 
.seized  witli  a  longing  to  visit  tbe  flurons,  and  preaeb 
tbe  Faitli  in  person  to  tbose  benigbted  beatben.  It 
needed  all  tbe  eloquence  of  a  Jesuit,  lately  returned 
from  tbat  most  arduous  mission,  to  convince  her  tbat 
the  attempt  would  be  as  useless  as  rash. 

It  was  the  ciuhth  of  Mav  when  ^faisonneuvo  and 
Ids  followers  embarked  at  St.  Michel ;  and  as  the  boats, 
deep-laden  with  men,  arras,  and  stores,  moved  slowly  on 


118 


MONTREAL. 


tlieir  way,  the  forest.,  willi  leaves  just  opening  in  llio 
wiirnitli  of  spring,  liiy  on  their  right  hand  and  on  their 
h't't,  in  a  fiatleiing  seniliiiince  of  trancpiillity  and  ])eaec. 
But  behind  woody  ish'ts,  in  tangh'd  tiiiekets  and  (hinip 
ravines,  and  in  the  shack*  and  stilhiess  of  the  .eolnmiied 
woods,  hiri\ed  every  wlierci  a  danger  and  a  terror. 

On  the  seventeenth  of  May,  1G42,  Malsonneuve's  little 
flotilla  —  a  pinnaee,  a  Mat-bottomed  eraft  moved  by  sails, 
and  two  row-boats  —  apjtroaehed  Montreal;  and  all  on 
board  raised  in  nnison  a  hvnni  of  praise.  iMonlniagny 
was  with  them,  to  deliver  the  island,  in  behalf  of  the 
Comjjany  of  the  Hundred  Ass(jeiates,  to  J^hiisonnenve, 
representative  of  the  Assoeiates  of  Montreal.  And  here, 
too,  was  Father  Vimont,  superior  of  the  missions;  for 
the  Jesuits  had  be(>n  prudently  invited  to  aeeejtt  the 
sj)iritual  eharge  of  the  young  eolony.  On  the  following 
day,  they  glided  along  tiu*  green  and  solitary  shoi'es  now 
thronged  with  the  life  of  a  busv  eitv,  and  landed  on  tin* 
spot  whieh  Champlain,  thirty-imo  years  before,  liad 
ehosen  as  the  lit  site  of  a  settlement.  It  was  a  tongue 
or  triangle  of  land,  formed  by  the  junetion  of  a  rivulet 
with  the  St.  Lawrenee,  and  known  afterwards  as  Point 
C'alliere.  The  rivulet  was  bordered  by  a  meadow,  and 
beyond  rose  the  forest  with  its  vanguard  of  scattered 
trees.  p]arlv  sprimr  flowers  were  bloominu'  in  the  voung 
grass,  and  birds  of  varied  plumage  flitted  among  the 
boughs. 

Maisonneuvc  sprang  ashore,  and  fell  on  his  knees. 
His  followers  imitated  his  exai  'e  ;  and  all  joined  their 
voices  in  enthusiastic  songs  thanksgivini!:.  Tents, 
baggage,  arms,  and  stores  were  landed.  An  altar  was 
raised  on  a  pleasant  spot  near  at  hand  ;  and  Mademoi- 
selle !Manec,  with  Madame  dc  la  Peltrie,  aided  by  her 
servant,  Charlotte  Barre,  decorated  it  with  a  taste  which 


THE    BIUTII    OF    MONTIJKAL. 


119 


liiiu^  ill  i\w 
ind  on  tlicir 
f  {ind  ])euco. 
s  and  (iiiinp 
13  .coliuuiiod 
rroi-, 

iciivo's  liltlti 

vcd  l)v  isails, 

and  nil   on 

iMontiuiiij^ny 

•hair  of  (lie 

[aisoniuMivo, 

And  lu'ic, 

issioiis ;  for 

accopt  tlio 

10  followin<j^ 

shores  now 

idfd  on  tlio 

)(.'for(',    liad 

s  a  toiiirnc 

)f  a  ri\udet 

s  as   Point 

cadow,  and 

scattered 

1  the  voniii^ 

among  the 

liis  knees, 
oincd  their 
••:.  Tents, 
altar  was 
^fademoi- 
~led  by  her 
aste  which 


was  tlie  !i(hni ration  of  the  beholders.  Now  all  the  com- 
pany gathered  l»eh)r(^  the  shrine.  Ilert;  stood  V'iinont, 
in  the  ricli  vestments  of  liis  oHIcc  Hen;  were  the  two 
ladies,  with  their  servant;  Montma«rny,  no  vei-y  willinir 
spectator;  and  Maisonnenve,  ii  warlike  li<rure,  erect  and 
tall,  Ids  men  clust(!rin<r  aronnd  him,  —  soldiers,  sailors, 
artisans,  and  laborers, —  all  alike  soldiiM's  at  nee(l.  Tliev 
knecded  in  reverent  silenci;  as  the  Host  was  raised  aloft  ; 
and  when  the;  rite  was  over,  the  priest  turned  ainl 
addressed  them:  — 

"  Yon  are  a  ^-rain  of  mustard-seed,  that  shall  rise  and 
grow  till  its  branches  overshadow  the  earth.  Vou  are 
few,  but  your  work  is  tlie  work  of  (Jod.  Ilis  smile  is  on 
you,  and  your  children  shall  fill  the  land." 

The  afternoon  waned  ;  the  sun  sank  behind  the  west- 
ern forest,  and  twilight  came  on.  Fireflies  were  twin- 
kling over  tlie  darkened  meadow.  They  caught  them, 
tied  them  with  thrciads  into  shining  festoons,  and  hung 
them  before  the  altar,  where  the  Host  remained  exposed. 
Then  they  jtitched  their  tents,  lightcfl  their  bivouac  fires, 
stationed  their  guards,  and  lay  down  to  rest.  Such  was 
the  birth-n'ght  of  Montreal. 

Is  this  tnie  histoj-y,  or  a  r()mance  of  Christian  chivalry  ? 
It  is  both. 

A  few  years  later  there  was  another  emigration  to 
INIontreal,  of  a  character  much  like  the  first.  The  pious 
little  colony  led  a  struggling  and  precarious  existence. 
Many  of  its  inhabitants  were  killed  by  the  Inxjuois,  and 
its  escape  from  destruction  was  imputed  to  the  interven- 
tion of  the  Holy  Virgin.  The  [»lace  change(l  as  years 
went  on,  and  became  a  great  centre  of  the  fur  trade, 
though  still  bearing  strcmg  mai-ks  of  its  pristine  charac- 
ter. The  institutions  of  religion  and  charity  planted 
by  its  founders  remain  to  this  day,  and  the  Seminary 


'^r 


■4'  I 


120 


MONTREAL. 


of  St.  Sulpice  holds  vast  possessions  in  and  around 
the  city.  During  tiie  war  of  1755-1700,  Montreal 
was  a  base  of  military  operations.  In  the  latter  year 
three  English  armies  advaneed  upon  it  from  three 
different  points,  united  before  its  walls,  and  forced 
(Jovcrnor  Vaudreuil  to  surrender  all  Canada  to  the 
British  Crown. 


r  W^M 

^y 

and   around 

•0,   Montreal 

)  latter  year 

from   three 

and  forced 

[lada   to   the 


QUEBEC. 


i 

i 
il 


J 


s  ! 


V 


!  « 


IXFAXCY   OF   QUEBEC. 


r^IIA:MPLAIX  was  the  founder  of  tliis  old  capital  of 
French  Canada,  whoso  existence  hcsxan  in  1008. 
In  tliat  year  he  built  a  cluster  of  fortified  dwellin-s  and 
storehouses,  which  he  called  "  The  Habitation  of  Que- 
bec," and  which  stood  on  or  near  the  site  of  the  market- 
place of  the  Lower  Town. 

The  settlement  made  little  progress  for  many  years. 
A  company  of  merchants  held  the  monopoly  of' its  fur- 
trade,  by  which   alone  it  lived.      It  was  lialf  trading- 
factory,  half  mission.      Its  i)ermanent  inmates  did  not 
exceed  fifty  or  sixty  persons,  — fnr-trad(>rs,  friars,  and 
two  or  three  wretched  families,  who  had  no  inducement 
and  little  wish  to  labor.     The  fort  is  facetiously  repre- 
sented as  having  two  old  women  for  garrison,  and  a 
brace  of  hens  for  sentinels.     All  was  discord  and  dis- 
order.     Champlain  was  the  nominal   commander;  but 
the  actual  autliority  was  with  tlie  merchants,  who  held 
excepting   the   friars,  nearly   Q\Qvy   one    in   their   pay.' 
Each  was  jealous  of  the  otlier,  but  all  were  united  in 
a  common  jealousy  of  Cliam])lain.     From  a  short-siglited 
view  of  self-interest,  they  souglit  to  clieck  the  coloniza- 
tion which  they  were  pledged   to  i)romote.      Tlie  few 
families   wliom   they  brought   over   were   foi-bidden   to 
trade  with  the  Indians,  and  compelled  to  -,oll  tlie  fruits 
of  their  labor  to  the  agents  of  the  company  at  a  low, 
fixed  price,  receiving  goods  in  return  at  an  inordinate 


124 


QUEBEC. 


'I    i   ' 


i'^ 


1    I 


valuation.  Some  of  the  merchants  were  of  Rouen,  some 
of  St.  Malo  ;  some  were  Catholies,  some  were  Huguenots. 
Henec;  unceasing  bickerings.  All  exercise  of  the  Re- 
formed Religion,  on  hmd  or  water,  was  i)roliibited  within 
th(!  limits  of  New  France;  but  the  Huguenots  set  the 
prohibition  at  nought,  roaring  their  heretical  psalmody 
with  such  vigor  from  their  ships  in  the  river,  that  the 
unhallowed  strains  polluted  the  ears  of  the  Indians  on 
shore.  Tlic  merchants  of  Rochelle,  who  had  refused  to 
join  the  comi)any,  carried  on  a  bold,  illicit  trallic  along 
the  borders  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  eluding  pursuit,  or,  if 
hard  pressed,  showing  fight ;  and  this  was  a  source  of 
perpetual  irritation  to  tiie  incensed  monopolists. 

Chamjjlain,  in  his  singulurly  trying  position,  displayed 
a  mingled  zeal  and  fortitude.  Ho  went  every  year  to 
France,  laboring  for  the  interests  of  the  colony.  To 
throw  open  the  trade  to  all  comj)etitors  was  a  measure 
beyond  the  wisdom  of  the  times ;  and  he  aimed  only  so 
to  bind  and  regulate  the  monopoly  as  to  make  it  sub- 
servo  the  generous  j)urpose  to  which  he  had  given  him- 
self. He  had  succeeded  in  binding  tlic  company  of 
merchants  with  new  and  more  stringent  engagements ; 
and,  in  the  vain  belief  that  these  might  not  be  wholly 
broken,  he  began  to  conceive  fresh  hopes  for  the  colony. 
In  this  faith  he  embarked  with  his  wife  for  Quebec  in 
the  spring  of  1(320;  and,  as  the  boat  drew  near  the 
landing,  the  cannon  welcomed  her  to  the  rock  of  her 
banishment.  The  buildings  were  falling  to  ruin  ;  rrjn 
entered  on  all  sides  ;  the  court-yard,  says  Champlain, 
was  as  squalid  and  dilapidated  as  a  grange  pillaged  by 
soldiers.  JMadame  de  Chamj)lain  was  still  very  young. 
If  the  Ursuline  tradition  is  to  be  trusted,  the  Indians, 
amazed  at  her  beauty  and  touched  by  her  gentleness, 
would  have  worshipped  her  as  a  divinity.     Her  husband 


)f  Rouen,  some 
3rc  lIii<j;uenots. 
isc  of  the  lle- 
yhibited  within 
:nenots  set  the 
tical  psiihnody 
river,  that  the 
the  Indians  on 
liad  refused  to 
nt  tralTic  along 
;  pursuit,  or,  if  , 
ras  a  source  of 
[)olists. 

ition,  disphiyed 
)  every  year  to 
ic  colony.  To 
was  a  measure 
3  aimed  only  so 

0  make  it  sub- 
tiad  given  him- 
le  company  of 

engagements ; 
not  be  wholly 

1  for  the  colony, 
for  Quebec  in 
Irew  near  the 

lie  rock  of  her 
to  ruin  ;  rrjn 
[ys  Champlain, 
ge  pillaged  by 
[11  very  young. 
I,  the  Indians, 
lier  gentleness, 
Her  husband 


INFANCY    OF    QUEBEC. 


125 


had  married  her  at  the  age  of  twelve;  when,  to  his 
horror,  he  presently  discovered  that  she  was  infected 
with  Ihe  heresies  of  lici-  father,  a  disu-uised  Ihm'ucnot. 
He  addressed  himself  at  once  to  her  conversion,  and  his 
pious  efforts  were  somethinu'  more  than  successful.  Dur- 
ing  the  four  years  which  she  })assed  in  Canada,  her  zeal, 
it  is  true,  was  chiefly  exercised  in  admonishing  Indian 
squaws  and  catechising  their  children;  but,  on  her  re- 
turn to  France,  nothing  would  content  her  but  U)  become 
a  nun.  Champlain  refused  ;  but,  as  she  was  childless, 
he  at  length  consented  to  a  virtual,  though  not  forniiil, 
separation.  After  his  death  she  gained  her  wish,  hv- 
canie  an  Ursuline  nun,  founded  a  convent  of  tluit  order 
at  Meaux,  and  died  with  a  reputation  almost  saintly. 

A  stranger  visiting  the  fort  of  Quebec  would  have 
been  astonished  at  its  air  of  conventual  decorum.  Uhiek 
Jesuits  and  scarfed  oflicers  mingled  at  Chamj)lain\s 
table.  Tliere  was  little  conversaticm,  but,  in  its  {dace, 
histories  and  the  lives  of  saints  were  read  aloud,  as  in 
a  monastic  refectorv.  Pravers,  masses,  and  confessions 
followed  each  other  with  an  edifying  regularity,  and  the 
bell  of  the  adjacent  chapel,  built  by  Chami)lain,  rang 
moiiiing,  noon,  and  night.  Godless  soldiers  caught  the 
infection,  and  wliiiijied  themselves  in  penance  for  their 
sins.  Dcbauelied  artisans  outdid  each  other  in  the  fury 
of  their  contrition.  Quebec  was  become  a  Mission. 
Indians  gathered  thither  as  of  old,  not  from  the  baneful 
lure  of  brandy,  for  the  trafTic  in  it  was  no  longer  tol- 
erated, but  from  the  loss  pernicious  attractions  of  gifts, 
kind  words,  and  politic  Idandishments.  To  the  vital 
principle  of  propagandism  the  commercial  and  the  mili- 
tary character  were  subordinated  ;  or,  to  speak  more 
justly,  trade,  policy,  and'  military  power  leaned  on  the 
missions  as  their  main  support,  the  grand  instrument  of 


THfl 


126 


QUEBEC. 


.  mi 


J  I 


A    ! 


1  ! 


ilielr  extension.  The  missions  were  to  explore  tlio 
interior;  tlie  missions  were  lo  win  over  the  savage 
hordes  at  onee  to  Ifeavcn  and  to  France. 

Years  ])asscd.  Tlie  mission  of  tlie  FInrons  was  es- 
tablished, and  here  the  indomitable  Jjr(jbeul",  with  a  band 
worthy  of  him,  toih'd  amid  miseries  and  perils  as  fearfnl 
as  ev(!r  shook  the  constancy  of  man  ;  while  Champhun 
at  Quebec,  in  a  life  uneventful,  yet  harassing  and  hibori- 
ous,  was  busied  in  tiie  round  of  cares  which  his  post 
involved.  • 

Christmas  day,  1085,  was  a  dark  day  in  the  nnnals  of 
New  France.  In  a  chamber  of  tlie  fort,  breathless  and 
cold,  lay  the  hardy  frame  which  war,  the  wilderness,  and 
tlie  sea  had  buffeted  so  long  in  vain.  After  two  months 
and  a  half  of  illness,  Champlain,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight, 
was  dead.  Ilis  last  cares  were  for  his  colonv  and  the 
succor  of  its  suffering  families.  Jesuits,  ollicers,  sol- 
diers, traders,  and  the  few  settlers  of  Quebec  followed 
his  remains  to  the  church;  Le  Jeune  })ronounced  his 
culogv,  and  the  feeble  communitv  built  a  tomb  to  liis 
honor. 

The  colonv  could  ill  spare  him.  For  twcntv-scven 
years  he  had  labored  hard  and  ceaselessly  for  its  wcdfare, 
sacrificing  fortune,  repose,  and  domestic  peace  to  a  cause 
embraced  with  enthusiasm  and  [airsued  with  intrej)id 
persistency.  His  character  belonged  partly  to  the  [)ast, 
partly  to  the  present.  The  preux  chevalier^  the  crusader, 
the  romance-loving  explorer,  the  curious,  knowledge- 
seeking  traveller,  the  practical  navigator,  all  claimed 
their  share  in  him.  His  views,  though  far  beyond  those 
of  the  mean  spirits  around  him,  belonged  to  his  age  and 
his  creed.  He  was  less  statesman  than  soldier.  He 
leaned  to  the  most  direct  and  boldest  policy,  and  one 
of  his  last  acts  was  to  petition  Richelieu  for  men  and 


INFANCY  OF  QUEBEC. 


127 


munitions  for  roi)R'ssing  tlitit  standin-i-  menace  to  the 
col(Miy,  the  Irociuois.    His  dauntless  courage  was  matched 
by  an  unwearied  patience,  a  ])atience  proved  hy  life-long 
vexations,  and  not  wholly  subdued  even  by  the  saintly 
follies  of  his  Avife.     He  is  charged  with  credidity,  from 
which  few  of  his  ago  Avere  free,  and  which  in  all  ages 
has  been  the  foible  of  earnest  and  generous  natures,  too 
ardent  to  criticise,  and  too  honorable  to  doubt  the  hcmor 
of  others.     P<'rhaps  in  his  later  years  the  heretic  might 
like  him   more   had   the  Jesuit    liked    him    less.      The 
adventurous  explorer  of  Lake  Ilurcui,  the  bold  invader 
of  the    Iroquois,  befits    but    indifferently   the    UKmastic 
sobrieties  of  the  fort  of  Quebec  and  his  sombre  envii-on- 
ment  of  jjriests.     Yet  Chami)lain  was  no  formalist,  nor 
was  liis  an  empty  zeal.     A  soldier  from  his  youth,  in  an 
age  of  nnbridletl  license,  his   life  had  answered  to  his 
maxims;  and  when  a  generation  had   jjassi'd  after  his 
visit    to    the    Uurons,    their    elders    remembered    with 
astonishment  the  continence  of  the  great  French  war- 
chief. 

His  b(^oks  mark  the  man,  — all  for  his  theme  and  his 
purpose,  nothing  for  himself.  Crude  in  style,  full  of 
the  superficial  errors  of  carelessness  and  liaste,  rarely 
diffuse,  often  brief  to  a  fault,  they  bear  on  every  page 
the  palpable  impress  of  truth. 


i 


\\ 


,!;i 


n 


A  MILITARY   MISSION. 

QUEBEC  MiiH  without  a  governor.  Wlio  should 
succeed  Cliiinij)laiii  ?  and  wonld  liis  successor 
be  found  equally  zealous  for  the  Faith,  and  friendly  to 
the  mission  ?  These  doubts,  as  he  himself  tells  us, 
agitated  the  miud  of  the  Father  Superior,  Le  Jcune: 
but  they  were  happily  set  at  rest,  Avhen,  on  a  morning 
in  June,  he  saw  a  ship  anchoring  in  the  basin  below, 
and,  hastening  with  his  brethren  to  the  landing-place, 
was  there  met  l>y  Charles  Iluault  de  Mcmtmngny,  a 
Knight  of  Malta,  followed  by  a  train  of  officfrs  jind 
gentlemen.  As  they  all  climbed  the  rock  together, 
Montmagny  saw  a  crucifix  {)lanted  by  the  path.  He 
instantly  fell  on  his  knees  before  it ;  and  nobles,  soldiers, 
sailors,  and  priests  imitated  his  exam))le.  The  Jesuits 
sang  Te  Deum  at  the  church,  and  the  cannon  roared 
from  the  adjacent  foi-t.  Here  the  new  governor  was 
scarcely  installed,  when  a  Jesuit  came  in  to  ask  if  ho 
would  be  godfather  to  an  Indian  about  to  be  baptized. 
"  Most  gladly,"  replied  the  pious  Montmagny.  He 
repaired  on  the  instant  to  the  convert's  hut,  with  a  com- 
pany of  gayly  apparelled  gentlemen ;  and  while  the  in- 
mates stared  in  amazement  at  the  scarlet  and  eml)roidery, 
he  bestowed  on  the  dying  savage  the  name  of  Joseph, 
in  honor  of  the  spouse  of  the  Virgin  and  the  patron  of 
New  France.  Three  days  after,  he  was  told  that  a  dead 
proselyte  was  to  be  buried ,  on  which,  leaving  the  lines 


1 


A   MILITAUY    MISSION. 


129 


of  the  new  fortificntion  lie  was  Iracinir,  lie  took  in  linnd 
51  toreh,  Dc  Lisle,  liis  lieutenant,  took  anntlier,  Repen- 
ti^ny  and  St.  Jean,  gentlemen  of  his  suite,  with  a  hand 
of  soldiers,  followed,  two  ])ricsts  hore  the  eorpse,  and 
thus  all  moved  together  in  j)rocession  to  the  place  of 
hui'ial.  The  Jesuits  were  comforted.  Champlain  hiui- 
self  had  not  displayed  a  zeal  so  edifying. 

A  considerable;  reinforcement  came  out  with  Mont- 
magny,  and  among  the  rest  several  men  of  birth  and 
substance,  with  their  families  and  dependiints.  "It  was 
a  sight  to  thank  (Jod  for,"  exclaims  Fath(>r  Lc  Jeune, 
"  to  behold  these  delicate  yonng  ladies  and  these  tender 
infants  issuing  from  their  wooden  prison,  like  day  from 
the  shades  of  night."  The  Father,  it  will  be  remembered, 
had  for  some  years  })ast  seen  nothing  but  stpiaws,  with 
pappooses  swathed  like  mmnmies  and  strapped  to  a 
board. 

Both  Montmagny  and  De  Lisle  were  half  chnrchnien, 
for  both  were  Knights  of  Malta.  More  and  more  the 
powers  spiritual  engrossed  the  colony.  As  nearly  as 
might  be,  the  sword  itself  was  in  ))riestly  hands.  The 
Jesuits  were  all  in  all.  Authoritv,  absolnte  and  without 
appeal,  was  vested  in  a  conncll  com])osed  of  the  governor, 
Le  Jeune,  and  the  syndic,. an  official  snjiposed  to  repre- 
sent the  interests  of  the  inhabitants.  There  was  no 
tribunal  of  justice,  and  the  governor  pronounced  sum- 
marily on  all  complaints.  The  church  adjoined  the 
fort ;  and  before  it  was  j)lanted  a  stake  bearing  a  placard 
with  a  prohibition  against  blasphemy,  drunkenness,  or 
neglect  of  mass  and  other  religic;is  rites.  To  the  stake 
was  also  attached  a  chain  and  iron  collar ;  and  hard  by 
was  a  wooden  horse,  whereon  a  culprit  was  now  and 
then  mounted  by  way  of  example  and  warning.  In  a 
community  so  absolutely  priest-governed,  overt  offences 


•■I'l, 

■'t'l' 


!    Mi    . 


!'■.! 


I 


130 


QUKliKC. 


were,  liowi'vcr,  rare ;  iiiid,  cxcciit  on  the  amiual  sirrival 
of  tin;  .shi|is  from  Fnuiec,  when  the  roek  swarnieil  with 
j(o(llesH  sailors,  Quel)ec  was  a  UKjdel  of  decorum,  and 
wore,  us  its  chroniclers  lell  lis,  an  aspect  unspeakably 
edify  inj^'. 

In  the  year  1«)40,  various  new  estahlishnients  of 
reliii'ion  and  charity  might  have  been  seen  at  Quebec. 
There  was  the  bcginninji;  of  a  college  and  a  seminary 
for  Huron  children,  an  end)ryo  L'rsuline  convent,  an 
incipient  hospital,  and  a  new  Algontiuin  mission  al  a 
l)lace  called  Silleiy,  four  miles  distant.  Champlain's 
fort  had  heen  enlarged  aiul  partly  rebuilt  in  stone  by 
!>[ontmagnv,  who  had  also  laid  out  streets  on  the  site  of 
th(!  future  city,  though  as  yet  the  streets  had  no  lujuses. 
Jichind  the  fort,  and  very  near  it,  stood  the  church  and 
a  house  for  the  Jesuits.  Both  were  of  pine  wood  ;  and 
this  year,  1040,  both  were  burned  to  tlic  gnMuid,  to  be 
afterwards  rebuilt  in  stone. 

Aside  from  the  fur  trade  of  the  Company,  the  whole 
life  of  the  colony  was  in  missions,  convents,  religious 
schools,  and  hosj)itals.  Here  on  the  rock  of  Quebec 
were  the  api)endages,  useful  and  otherwise,  of  an  old- 
established  civilization.  While  as  yet  there  were  no 
inhabitants,  and  no  immediate  hope  of  any,  there  were 
institutions  for  the  care  of  children,  the  sick,  and  the 
decrepit.  All  these  Averc  sup})orted  by  a  charity  in 
most  cases  precarious.  The  Jesuits  relied  chiefly  on 
the  Comj)any,  who,  by  the  terms  of  their  patent,  were 
obliged  to  maintain  religious  worship. 

Quebec  wore  an  aspect  half  military,  half  monastic. 
At  sunrise  and  sunset,  a  squad  of  soldiers  in  the  pay  of 
the  Company  })araded  in  the  fort ;  and,  as  in  Champlain's 
time,  the  bells  of  the  church  rang  morning,  noon,  and 
night.     Confessions,  masses,  and  penances  were  punc- 


A    MILITAUV    MISSION'. 


i:;i 


tiliously  ohsci'vcd  ;  juitl,  iVoiii  llio  governor  to  tlir  nii'iiu- 
cst  laborer,  tlu'  Jesuit  wateluMl  ami  guided  all.  The 
social  atinosiihere  of  New  Kugland  itself  was  not  more 
sulVocating.  JJy  day  and  by  night,  at  home,  at  ehureh, 
or  at  his  dailv  work,  the  colonist  lived  under  the  evuH 
of  busy  and  over-zealous  |>riests.  At  times,  the  dcMiizena 
of  (Quebec  grew  restless.  In  litlJl),  deputies  were  covertly 
sent  to  beg  relief  in  France,  and  "  to  represent  the  ladl 
in  which  the  consciences  of  the  colony  were  kept  by  the 
imion  of  the  tenii)oral  and  s[)iritual  authority  in  the 
same  hands." 

The  very  amusements  of  this  jiious  connnunity  were 
acts  of  religion.  Thus,  on  the  fete-day  of  St.  Josej)h, 
the  ])atron  of  New  Fi-ance,  there  was  a  show  of  lirewoiks 
to  do  him  honor.  In  the  forty  vohnnes  of  the  Jesuit 
Relations'  there  is  but  one  ]»ictorial  illustration  ;  and 
this  re|)resents  the  pyrotechnic  contrivance  in  (juestion, 
together  with  a  figui'c  of  the  (Jovernor  in  the  act  of 
touching  it  off.  IJut.  what  is  more  curious,  a  Catholic 
writer  of  the  present  day,  the  Abbe  Faillon,  in  an  elabo- 
rate and  learned  work,  dilates  at  length  on  the  details 
of  the  dis])lay  ;  and  this,  too,  with  a  gravity  which 
evinces  his  conviction  that  S(|uil»s,  rockets,  blue-lights, 
and  serpents  are  important  instruments  for  the  saving 
of  souls.  On  May-Day  of  the  same  year,  1087,  Mont- 
maguy  jdanted  before  the  church  a  ^Iay-|)ole  surmounted 
b\  .(  rriple  crown,  beneath  which  were  three  svmbolical 
circles  decorated  with  wreaths,  and  bearing  severally 
the  imes,  lesus,  Maria,  losrph  ;  the  soldiers  drew  up 
before  it,  and  saluted  it  with  a  vollcv  of  musketrv. 

On  the  anniversary  of  the  Dauphin's  birth  there  was 
a  dramatic  i)ei  -rmance,  in  which  an  unbeliever,  speaking 
Algonrpiin  for  the  profit  of  the  Indians  present,  was 
hunted  into  Hell  by  fiends.     Religious  processions  were 


I 


I' i 


'I .( 


1!1 


132 


QUEBEC. 


frequent.  In  one  of  them,  the  Governor  in  a  court 
dress  and  a  baptized  Indian  in  beaver-skins  were  joint 
supporters  of  the  canopy  which  covered  the  Host.  In 
another,  six  Lidians  led  the  van,  arrayed  each  in  a  vel- 
vet coat  (jf  scarlet  and  gold  sent  tlicin  by  the  King.  Then 
came  other  Indian  converts,  two  and  two  ;  then  the 
foundress  of  the  Ursuline  convent,  with  Indian  children 
in  French  gowns ;  then  all  the  Indian  girls  and  women, 
dressed  after  their  own  way  ;  then  the  priests  ;  then  the 
Governor ;  and  finally  the  whole  French  population, 
male  and  female,  except  the  artillery-men  at  the  fort, 
who  saluted  with  their  cannon  the  cross  and  banner 
borne  at  the  head  of  the  i)roccssion.  Wlien  all  was 
over,  the  Governor  and  the  Jesuits  rewarded  the  Indians 
with  a  feast. 

Now  let  tlie  stranger  enter  the  church  of  Notre-Damo 
de  la  Recouvrance,  after  vespers.  It  is  full,  to  the  very 
porch  :  olhcers  in  slouched  hats  and  plumes,  nnisketeers, 
pikemen,  mechanics,  and  laborers.  Here  is  Montmagny 
himself ;  Repentigny  and  Poterie,  gentlemen  of  good 
birth  ;  damsels  of  nurture  ill  fitted  to  the  Canadian 
woods  ;  and,  mingled  with  these,  the  motionless  Indians, 
wrapj)ed  to  the  throat  in  embroidered  moose-hides.  Le 
Jeune,  not  in  priestly  ves^^ments,  but  in  the  common 
black  dress  of  his  Order,  is  before  the  altar;  and  on 
either  side  is  a  row  of  small  red-skinned  children  lis- 
tening with  exemplary  decorum,  while,  with  a  cheerful, 
smiling  face,  he  teaches  them  to  kneel,  clasp  tlieir  hands, 
and  sign  the  cross.  All  the  principal  members  of  this 
zealous  community  are  present,  at  once  amused  and 
edified  at  the  grave  deportment,  and  the  proraj  c,  shrill 
replies  of  the  infant  catechumens  ;  while  their  parents  in 
the  crowd  grin  delight  at  the  gifts  of  beads  and  trinkets 
with  which  Le  Jeune  rewards  his  most  pioticient  pupils. 


J 


A    MILITARY    MISSION. 


133 


court 
joint 
.  Ill 
a  vel- 
Thcn 

I  the 
il^rcii 
omen, 
3n  the 
lation, 
3  fort, 
)anner 

II  was 
ndians 

;-Dame 
ic  very 
etcers, 
ma<^ny 
f   good 
inadiau 
ndians, 
Le 
ommon 
and  on 
ren  lis- 
leerful, 
hands, 
of  this 
cd  and 
,  shrill 
rents  in 
trinkets 
pupils. 


The  methods  of  conversion  were  simple.  The  princi- 
pal appeal  was  to  fear.  "  You  do  good  to  your  friends," 
said  Le  Jeune  to  an  Algonquin  chief,  "  and  you  burn 
your  enemies.  God  does  the  same."  And  he  painted 
Hell  to  tlie  startled  neophyte  as  a  place  wiiere,  when  he 
was  hungry,  ho  would  get  nothing  to  eat  hut  frogs  and 
snakes,  and,  when  thirnty,  nothing  to  drink  but  flames. 
Pictures  Avcre  found  iuA'aluable.  "  These  holy  re])resen- 
tatioiis,"  pursues  the  Fatlicr  Suj)crior,  "  arc  half  the 
instruction  that  can  bo  given  to  the  Indians.  I  wanted 
some  pictures  of  Hell  and  souls  in  ])erditi<m,  and  a  few 
were  sent  us  on  paper  ;  but  they  are  too  confused.  The 
devils  and  the  men  are  so  mixed  up,  that  one  can  make 
out  nothing  without  particular  attention.  If  three,  four, 
or  five  devils  were  ])ainted  tormenting  a  soul  with  differ- 
^"aL  punishments,  —  one  a])i)lying  fire,  another  seijients, 
another  tearing  him  with  jiinceis,  and  another  holding 
him  last  with  a  chain,  —  this  would  have  a  good  effect, 
especially  if  everything  were  made  distinct,  and  misery, 
rage,  and  des{)eration  appeared  plainly  in  his  face." 

The  })reparation  of  the  convert  for  baptism  was  often 
very  slight.  A  dying  Algon<|uiu,  who,  though  meagre 
as  a  skeleton,  had  thrown  himself,  with  a  last  effort  of 
expiring  ferocity,  on  an  Iroquois  prisoner,  and  torn  off 
his  ear  with  his  teeth,  was  baptized  aluiost  immediately. 
In  the  case  of  converts  in  health  tliere  was  far  more 
preparation;  yet  these  often  apostatized.  The  various 
objects  of  instruction  may  all  be  included  in  one  compre- 
hensive word,  submission,  —  an  abdication  of  will  aud 
judgment  in  favor  of  the  s|»i ritual  director,  who  was  the 
interpreter  and  vicegerent  of  God. 


!l 


SSSBS 


'I'M  < 


MASSACIIUPETTS  ATTACKS   QUEBEC. 


*ii,^ 


T  IKE  jMontrofil,  Quebec  transformed  itself  in  time 
-*~^  lost  much  of  its  character  of  a  mission,  and  be- 
came the  seat  of  the  C(donial  government.  In  short,  it 
became  secularized,  thoutrh  not  com])letely  so;  for  the 
priesthood  still  held  an  immense  infhience  and  disputed 
the  mastery  with  the  civil  Jind  military  powers. 

In  the  be<»:inning  of  William  and  Mary's  War,  Count 
Frontenac,  governor  of  Canada,  sent  repeated  wai-par- 
ties  to  harass  the  New  England  borders  ;  and,  in  105)0, 
the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  resolved  t^  retort 
by  a  decisive  blow.  Sir  Williiim  Phii)S  was  chosen  to 
command  the  intended  expedition.  Phips  is  said  to 
have  been  one  of  twentv-six  children,  all  of  the  same 
mother,  and  was  l»orn  in  IGoO  at  a  rude  border  settle- 
ment, since  called  Woolwich,  on  the  Kennebec.  His 
])ai'ents  were  ignorant  and  ])oor ;  and  till  eighteen  years 
of  age  he  was  employed  in  keejting  sheep.  Such  a  life 
ill  suited  his  active  and  ambitious  nature.  To  better 
Ids  condition,  he  learned  the  trade  <tf  sliip-carpenter, 
and,  in  the  exercise  of  it,  came  to  Boston,  where  he 
married  a  widow  witli  some  property,  beyond  him  in 
years,  and  muclj  above  him  in  station.  About  this  time, 
he  l(»ai'ned  to  read  and  write,  though  not  too  w(dl,  for 
his  signature  is  like  that  of  a  ])easant.  Still  as|»iring  to 
greater  things,  he  promised  his  wife  that  he  would  one 
day  command  a  king's  sliip  and  own  a  "  fair  brick  house 


MASSACHUSETTS  ATTACKS  QUEBEC. 


135 


in  tlic  CiMH'ii  Liuio  of  Xortli  Boston,"  a  qiuirtcr  then 
occupied  by  citizens  of  the  better  class.  lie  kej>t  his 
word  at  l)otli  points.  Fortune  was  imiuspicious  to  him 
for  scvenil  years ;  till  at  leni^th,  und<'r  the  ])ressnre  of 
reverses,  he  conceived  the  idea  of  conciuerinLr  fame  and 
wealth  at  one  stroke,  by  lishing  up  the  """easure  said  to 
be  stored  in  a  Spauish  ;i-alle(m  wrecked  fifty  years  b<'f(»re 
somewhei'c  in  the  West  Indian  seas.  Full  of  this  proj- 
ect, he  went  to  England,  where,  through  inlhicnces 
which  do  not  plainly  ajtpcar,  he  gained  a  hearing  from 
])ers(ms  in  high  places,  and  induced  the  Admiralty  to 
adopt  his  scheme.  A  frigate  was  given  him,  and  he 
sailed  for  the  West  Indies  :  whence,  after  a  long  search, 
he  returned  unsuccessful,  though  not  without  adventures 
which  ])rovcd  his  mettle.  It  was  th^  ej)och  of  the  buc- 
caneers;  and  his  crew,  tired  of  a  vain  and  toilsome 
search,  came  to  the  quarter-deck,  armed  with  cutlass(>s, 
and  demanded  of  their  ca])tain  that  he  should  turn  ))irate 
with  them.  Phips,  a  tall  and  jmwerful  man,  instantly 
fell  upon  them  with  his  fists,  knoidved  down  the  ring- 
leaders, and  aw(Ml  th«Mn  all  into  submission.  Not  long 
after,  there  was  a  more*  formidable  mutiny  ;  but,  with 
great  courage  and  address,  he  quelled  it  for  a  time,  and 
held  his  crew  to  their  duty  till  he  had  brought  the  ship 
into  Jamaica,  and  exchanged  th.M:    foi-  better  men. 

Though  the  leaky  condition  of  the  frigate  coinpelled 
lum  to  abandon  the  search,  it  was  not  till  he  had  gained 
information  which  he  thought  would  lead  to  success; 
and,  on  his  return,  he  ins|»ired  such  coididence  that  the 
Duke  of  Albemarle,  M'ith  other  nobleuieii  aud  gentlemen, 
gave  him  a  fr(\sh  outfit,  and  u'spatched  him  again  on 
his  Quixotic  errand.  Tliis  tim*  he  succeeded,  found  the 
wreck,  and  took  from  it  gold,  silver,  and  jewels  to  the 
value  of  three  hinulred  thousand  pounds  sterling.     The 


136 


QUEBEC. 


crew  now  leagued  together  to  seize  the  ship  and  divide 
(lie  prize ;  and  Phi|)s,  j)ushed  to  extremity,  was  com- 
jtelied  to  jjromis(!  that  every  man  of  them  should  have 
a  share  in  the  treasure,  even  it  he  paid  it  himself,  (hi 
reaching  England,  he  kept  his  pledge  so  well  thiit,  after 
redeeming  it,  only  sixteen  thousand  ])ounds  was  left  as 
his  portion,  which,  however,  was  an  ample  fortune  in 
the  New  England  of  that  day.  He  gained,  too,  what 
he  valued  almost  as  much,  the  honor  of  knighthood. 
Tempting  offers  were  made  him  of  employment  in  the 
royal  service ;  but  he  had  an  ardent  love  for  his  own 
country,  and  thither  he  j>reseiitlv  returned. 

Phips  was  a  rude  sailor,  hlui.,  proni{>t,  and  choleric. 
lie  never  gave  proof  of  intellectual  capacity  ;  and  such 
of  his  success  in  life  as  he  did  not  owe  to  good  luck  was 
due  probaldy  to  an  energetic  and  adventurous  spirit, 
aided  by  a  blunt  frankness  of  address  that  pleased  the 
great,  and  commended  him  to  their  favor.  Two  years 
after  the  expedition  against  Quebec,  the  king,  under  the 
new  chartei',  made  him  governor  of  Massachusetts,  a 
post  for  which,  though  totally  unlit,  he  had  been  recom- 
mended by  the  elder  Mather,  who,  like  his  son  Cotton, 
expected  to  make  use  of  him.  He  carried  his  old  habits 
into  his  new  office,  cudgelled  Brinton,  the  collector  of 
the  [)ort,  and  belabored  Captain  Short  of  the  royal  navy 
with  his  cane.  Far  from  trying  to  hide  the  obscurity  of 
his  origin,  he  leaned  to  the  opposite  foible,  and  was  apt 
to  boast  of  it,  delighting  to  exhibiv  himself  as  a  self- 
made  man.  New  England  writers  describe  him  as  hon- 
est in  i)rivate  dealings ;  but,  in  accordance  with  his 
coarse  nature,  he  seems  to  have  thought  that  anything 
is  fair  in  war.  On  the  other  hand,  he  was  warmly  pa- 
triotic, and  was  almost  as  ready  to  serve  New  England 
as  to  serve  himself. 


MASSACHUSETTS  ATTACKS  QUEBEC. 


137 


the 
a 
oin- 
;on, 
l)it8 
of 

lllVV 

y  of 

apt 
self- 
lion- 

his 

ling 
|)a- 

aiid 


lieturnlntr  from  nil  expedition  to  Acadia,  he  found 
Boston  ahve  with  martial  preparation.  Massaelmsctls 
of  her  own  motion  had  resolved  to  attempt  tlie  eonciuest 
of  Quebec.  She  and  her  sister  colonics  had  not  yet  re- 
covered from  tlie  exiuiustion  of  Pliilip's  War,  and  still 
less  from  the  disorders  that  attended  the  expulsion  of 
tho  royal  governor  and  his  adherents.  The  public  treas- 
ury was  empty,  and  the  recent  ex))editions  against  the 
eastern  Indians  had  been  suj (ported  by  j)rivate  sub- 
scription. Worse  yet,  New  England  had  no  competiMit 
military  C(mniiaiider.  The  Puritan  gentlemen  of  the 
oriirinal  emiirration,  some  of  whom  were  as  well  fitted 
for  military  as  for  civil  leadership,  had  passed  from  the 
stage ;  and,  by  a  tendency  which  circumstances  made 
inevitable,  they  had  left  none  beiiind  them  ecpially  (juali- 
lied.  The  great  Indian  coiillict  of  fifteen  years  before 
had,  it  is  true,  formed  good  partisan  chiefs,  and  jtroved 
that  the  New  England  yeoman,  defending  his  family  and 
his  hearth,  was  not  to  Ite  surpassed  in  stubborn  lighting; 
but,  since  Andros  and  his  soldiers  had  been  driven  out, 
there  was  scarcely  a  single  man  in  the  colony  of  the 
slightest  training  or  experience  in  regular  war.  Up  to 
this  moment.  New  England  had  never  asked  lielj)  of  the 
mother  country.  When  thousands  of  savages  burst  on 
her  defenceless  settlements,  she  had  con(|iiered  safety 
and  peace  with  her  own  blood  and  her  own  slender  re- 
sources;  but  now,  as  the  i)roposed  capture  of  Qiu.'bec 
would  inure  to  the  profit  of  the  liritish  crown,  fJov(.'rnor 
Bradstreet  and  his  council  thought  it  not  unfitting  to 
ask  for  a  supply  of  arms  and  ammunition,  of  which  they 
were  in  great  need.  The  reiiuest  was  refused,  and  no 
aid  of  any  kind  came  from  the  English  government, 
whose  resources  were  engrossed  by  the  Irish  war. 

While  waiting  for  the  rc{)ly,  the  colonial  authorities 


138 


QUEBEC. 


iir^^cd  on  their  preparations,  in  tlie  liope  that  the  plunder 
of  Quebec  would  pay  the  ex])enscs  of  its  conquest. 
Humility  was  not  anionpi;  the  New  England  virtues,  and 
it  was  tliought  a  sin  to  doubt  that  God  would  give  his 
ch(jsen  peojilc  the  victory  over  papists  and  idolaters ; 
yet  no  pains  were  spared  to  insure  the  divine  favor. 
A  proclamation  was  issued,  calling  the  people  to  rejjcnt- 
ancc ;  a  day  of  fasting  was  ordaiued  ;  and,  as  Matlier 
expresses  it,  "  the  wheel  of  prayer  was  kept  in  continual 
motion."  The  chief  dilhculty  was  to  provide  funds. 
An  attempt  was  made  to  collect  a  part  of  the  money  by 
j)rivate  subscription;  but,  as  this  plan  fjuled,  the  provi- 
sional government,  already  in  debt,  strained  its  credit  yet 
farther,  and  borrowed  the  needful  sums.  Thirtv-two 
trading  and  fishing  vessels,  great  and  small,  were  im- 
pressed for  the  service.  Tlie  largest  was  a  ship  called 
the  "  Six  P^riends,"  engaged  in  the  dangerous  West 
India  trade,  and  carrying  forty-four  guns.  A  call  was 
made  for  volunteers,  and  many  enrolled  themselves ; 
but,  as  more  were  wanted,  a  press  was  ordered  to  com- 
plete the  number.  So  rigorously  was  it  applied  that, 
what  with  voluntary  and  onforcc^d  enlistment,  one  town, 
that  of  Gloucester,  was  deprived  of  two  thirds  of  its 
fencil)le  men.  There  was  not  a  moment  of  doubt  as  to 
the  choice  of  a  commander,  for  Phips  was  imagined  to 
be  the  very  man  for  the  work.  One  John  Walley,  a 
respectable  citizen  of  ]}arnstal)le,  Avas  made  second  in 
command,  with  the  modest  rank  of  major ;  and  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  shijMnasters,  merchants,  master  me- 
chanics, and  substantial  farmers,  were  commissioned  as 
subordinate  officers.  About  the  middle  of  July,  the 
committee  charged  with  the  preparations  reported  that 
all  was  ready.  Still  there  was  a  long  delay.  The  ves- 
sel sent  early  in  spring  to  ask  aid  from  England  had 


MASSACHUSETTS  ATTACKS  QUEBEC. 


139 


not  returned.  Plilps  waited  for  her  as  long  as  he  dared, 
and  the  l)est  of  the  season  was  over  when  he  resolved 
to  put  to  sea.  The  rustic  warriors,  duly  formed  into 
companies,  were  sent  on  board;  and  the  fleet  sailed 
from  Nantasket  on  the  ninth  of  August.  Including 
sailors,  it  carried  twenty-two  hundred  men,  with  ]tro- 
visions  for  four  months,  but  insullicient  anununition  and 
no  pilot  for  the  St.  Lawrence, 

The  delay  at  Boston,  waiting  aid  from  England  that 
never  came,  was  not  propitious  to  Phijjs ;  nor  were  the 
wind  and  the  waves.  The  voyage  to  the  St.  Lawrence 
was  a  long  one;  and  when  he  began,  wilhout  a  pilot,  to 
gr()p(>  his  way  up  the  unknown  river,  the  weather  seemed 
in  league  with  his  enemies,  lie  appears,  moreover,  to 
have  wasted  time.  Wiiat  was  most  vital  to  his  success 
was  I'npidity  of  movement;  yet,  whether  l)y  Ills  fault  or 
his  misfortinie,  he  remained  three  weeks  within  three 
days'  sail  of  Quebec.  Wiiilc  aneiiored  off  Ta<l(»ussac, 
with  the  wind  ahead,  he  i)assed  the  idle  hours  in  holding 
councils  of  war  and  framing  rules  for  the  government 
of  his  men  ;  and,  when  at  length  the  wind  veered  to 
the  east,  it  is  doubtful  if  he  made  the  best  use  of  liis 
op|)oi-tunity. 

Wlien,  alter  his  protracted  voyage,  Phij)S  sailed  into 
the  liasin  of  Quebec,  (me  of  the  grandest  scenes  (m  the 
western  continent  opened  u])on  his  sight:  the  wide  ex- 
panse of  waters,  the  lofty  promontory  beyoiul,  and  the 
ojtposing  heights  of  Levi;  the  cataract  of  Montmorcnci, 
the  distant  range  of  the  Laurentian  Mountains,  the  war- 
like rock  with  its  diadem  of  walls  and  towers,  the  roofs 
of  the  Lower  Town  clustering  on  the  strand  beneath, 
the  Chateau  St.  Louis  i)erched  at  the  brink  of  the  clift', 
and  over  it  the  white  banner,  spangled  with  fieurs-de-Us^ 
flaunting  defiance  in  the  clear  autumiud  air.     Perhaps, 


■■■-f   "    i:. 


140 


QUEBEC. 


1   f 

I 


i! 


i 


as  lie  frnzcd,  a  suspicion  seized  him  that  the  task  he  had 
undertaiveii  was  less  easy  than  he  had  thought ;  but  he 
had  coiKjuered  once  by  a  siuij)le  summons  to  surrender, 
and  he  lesolved  to  trv  its  virtue  again. 

The  fleet  anchored  a  little  below  Quebec  ;  and  towards 
ten  o'clock  the  French  saw  a  boat  put  out  from  the  ad- 
miral's ship,  bearing  a  Hag  of  truce.  Four  canoes  went 
from  the  Lower  Town,  and  met  it  midway.  It  brought 
a  subaltern  oflicer,  who  announced  himself  as  the  bearer 
of  a  letter  from  Sir  William  Phips  to  the  French  com- 
mander, lie  was  taken  into  one  of  the  canoes  and 
paddled  to  the  quay,  after  being  completely  blindfolded 
by  a  bandage  which  covered  half  his  face.  An  ofhcer 
named  Prevost,  sent  by  Count  Frontenac,  received  him 
as  he  landed,  and  ordered  two  sergeants  to  take  him  by 
the  arms  and  lead  him  to  the  governor.  Ilis  ])rogress 
was  neither  rapid  nor  direct.  They  drew  him  hither  and 
thither,  delighting  to  make  him  clamber  in  the  dark 
over  every  possible  obstruction;  while  a  noisy  crowd 
hustled  him,  and  laughing  women  called  him  Colin 
Maillard,  the  name  of  the  chief  j>layer  in  blindman's 
buff.  Amid  a  prodigious  hubbub,  intended  to  bewilder 
him  and  imjtress  him  with  a  sense  of  immense  warlike 
preparation,  they  dragged  him  over  the  three  barricades 
of  Alountain  Street,  and  brought  him  at  last  into  a  large 
room  of  the  chateau.  Here  they  took  the  bandage  from 
his  eyes,  lie  stood  for  a  mouKuit  with  an  air  of  as- 
tonishment and  some  confusion.  The  governor  stood 
before  him,  haughty  and  stern,  surrounded  by  French 
and  Canadian  ofTicers,  Maricourt,  Sainte-IK'lunc,  Lon- 
gueuil,  Yillebon,  Valrenne,  Bienville,  and  many  more, 
bedecked  with  gold  lace  and  silver  lace,  perukes  and 
powder,  plumes  and  ribbons,  and  all  the  nlartial  foppery 
in  which  they  took  delight,  and  regarding  the   envoy 


MASSACHUSETTS    ATTACKS    QUEIJEC. 


141 


witli  kcon,  dcliaiit  oycs.  Aftor  u  iuoin(>nt,  hv  rcoovorcd 
his  brcjitli  aiul  his  coniposiiro,  saluted  Froiiteiiac,  and, 
oxprossiiig'  a  wish  that  tlie  duty  assij^nicd  him  had  hecn 
of  a  more  airroeabh}  nature,  handcMl  him  tlin  hHtor 
of  JMiips.  Frontonae  «j;avc  it  to  an  intorproter,  wlio 
read  it  aloud  in  Froncli  that  all  might  hear.  It  ran 
thus :  — 


lark 
owd 
!olin 
lan's 
ilder 
rlikc 
ades 
llarge 
from 
(f  as- 
Istood 
•cuch 

Lon- 
more, 
antl 
Ippcry 

invoy 


"  Sir  William  Phips,  Knifjhl,  Ginrraf  and  Commnudpr-in-rhiif  in  and  over 
their  Maji'slli's'  Forajs  of  New  Fmjland,  hi/  Sea.  at.,.  Land,  to  Count 
Frontenac,  Lientenant-Gcneral  and  (Jorcrnour  for  tiir  Freneh  Kin;/  at 
Canada;  or,  in  his  <disrnre,  to  his  Deputij,  or  him  or  them  in  chief  com- 
mand at  Quelicrk- : 

"  The  war  between  the  crowns  of  En^'land  and  France  doth 
not  only  siiffiinently  warraTit,  hut  the  destruction  made  hy  the 
French  and  Indiaus,  under  your  command  and  encoura<:c('ment, 
upon  the  persons  and  estates  of  their  Majesties'  subjects  of  New 
England,  without  provocation  on  their  part,  hath  put  them 
under  the  necessity  of  this  expedition  for  their  own  security  and 
satisfaction.  And  although  the  cruelties  and  barbarities  uscmI 
against  them  by  the  French  and  Indians  might,  upon  the  present 
op[)ortunity,  prompt  unto  a  severe  revenge,  yet,  being  desirous  to 
avoid  all  inlmmane  and  uncljristian-like  actions,  and  to  prevent 
shedding  of  blood  as  much  as  may  be, 

"  I,  the  aforesaid  William  Pliips,  Knight,  do  hereby,  in  the 
name  and  in  the  behalf  of  their  most  excellent  Majesties,  Wil- 
liam and  Mary,  King  and  Queen  of  England,  Scotland,  Franco, 
and  Ireland,  Defenders  of  the  Faith,  and  by  order  of  th(!ir  said 
Majesties'  government  of  the  Massachuset-colony  in  New  Eng- 
land, demand  a  present  surrender  of  your  forts  and  castles, 
undemolished,  and  the  King's  and  other  stores,  unim])ezzled, 
with  a  seasonable  delivery  of  all  captives ;  together  with  a  sur- 
render of  all  your  persons  and  estates  to  my  dispose  :  upon  the 
doing  wherc't,  you  may  expect  mercy  from  me,  as  a  Christian, 
according  to  what  shall  be  found  for  their  Majesties'  service 
and  the  subjects'  security.     Which,  if  you  refuse  forthwith  to 


S3 


142 


C^UEBEC. 


'^ 


<lo,  T  am  coino  provided,  and  uiii  resolved,  ])y  the  lielp  of  Tiod, 
in  wIkjiu  1  trust,  by  force  of  anas  to  revenge  all  wrongs  and 
injuries  offered,  and  bring  you  under  subjection  to  the  Crown 
of  Kngland,  and,  when  too  late,  make  you  wish  you  had  ac- 
cepted of  tlie  favour  tendered. 

"Your  answer  positive  in  an  hour,  r(!turne(l  by  your  own 
trumpet,  with  tlie  return  of  mine,  is  required  upon  thi;  peril 
that  will  ensue." 

Wlion  tlu^  r(»adln<?  was  fmishcd,  tlic  En|j;lishman 
])ulU!d  ids  watch  from  his  pocdvct,  and  handed  it  to  the 
governor.  F'lontenac  could  not,  or  pretended  that  he 
could  not,  sec  the  hour.  The  messenger  thereupon  told 
him  that  it  was  ten  o'clock,  and  that  he  must  have  his 
answer  before  eleven.  A  general  cry  of  indignation 
arose;  and  Valrennc  called  out  that  Phips  was  noth- 
ing but  a  pirate,  and  that  his  man  ought  to  be  hanged. 
Fnmtenac  contained  himself  for  a  monu>nt,  and  then 
said  to  the  envov  :  — 

"1  will  not  kee]>  you  waiting  so  long.  Tell  your 
general  that  1  do  not  recognize  King  William  ;  and  that 
the  Prince  of  Orange,  who  so  styles  hims(df,  is  a  usurper, 
who  has  violated  the  most  sacred  laws  of  Idood  in  at- 
tempting to  dethrone  his  father-in-hi  ■ .  I  know  no  king 
of  England  but  King  James.  Your  general  ought  not 
to  be  surprised  at  the  hostilities  which  he  says  that  the 
French  have  carried  on  in  the  colony  of  Massachusetts ; 
for,  as  the  king  my  master  has  taken  the  king  of  Eng- 
land under  his  protection,  and  is  about  to  replace  him 
on  his  throne  by  force  of  arms,  he  might  have  expected 
that  his  Majesty  would  order  me  to  make  war  on  a 
people  who  have  rebelled  against  their  lawful  prince." 
Then,  turning  with  a  smile  to  the  officers  about  him : 
"  Even  if  your  general  offered  me  conditions  a  little 
more  gracious,  and  if  I  had  a  mind  to  accept  them,  does 


MASSACHUSETTS    ATTACKS    (QUEBEC. 


143 


OIU" 

that 

)cr, 

iit- 


Eng- 

liim 

}ctcd 

on  a 

ICC. 

|liim : 

mttie 

docs 


he  suppose  that  these  hrave  ^cnth'incii  would  <^ivo  their 
consent,  and  advise  nie  to  trust  a  nuiu  wiio  hroice  his 
a<j;i'eenient  witli  tlu;  ^i;ovcrnor  of  Port  Uoyal,  or  a  ichel 
who  has  hrded  iu  liis  duty  to  his  kiu^r,  aud  lortrolteu  all 
the  favors  he  luid  received  ironi  liini,  to  follow  a  prince 
who  pretends  to  he  the  liherator  of  Mnulaud  and  the 
defender  of  the  hiith,  and  vet  destrovs  the  laws  iind 
privileties  of  the  kinploni  and  overthrows  its  reTiLdon ':* 
The  divine  justice  winch  your  j^vneral  involves  in  his 
lett(>r  will  not  fail  to  ))unish  such  acts  severely." 

The  ni(>ssenj!:<'r  seemed  astonished  and  startled  ;  hut 
he  presently  asked  if  the  governor  would  give  him  his 
answer  in  writing. 

"  No,"  returned  Frontenac,  "  I  will  answer  your  gen- 
eral only  by  the  mouths  of  my  cannon,  that  he  may  learn 
that  a  man  like  mc  is  not  to  he  suunnoncd  after  this 
fashion.  Let  him  do  his  Ijest,  and  1  will  <lo  mine;" 
and  he  dismissed  the  Englishman  abruptly.  Jle  was 
again  blindfolded,  led  over  the  barricades,  and  sent  back 
to  the  fleet  by  the  boat  that  brought  him. 

Phips  had  often  given  jtroof  of  personal  courage,  but 
for  the  ]iast  three  weeks  his  conduct  seems  that  of  a 
man  conscious  that  he  is  charged  with  a  work  too  large 
for  his  capacity.  lie  had  sjient  a  good  part  of  his  time 
in  holding  councils  of  war;  and  now,  when  he  heard  the 
answer  of  Frontenac,  he  called  another  to  consider  what 
should  be  done.  A  plan  of  attack  was  at  length  ar- 
ranged. The  militia  were  to  be  landed  on  the  shore  of 
Beauport,  which  was  just  below  Quebec,  though  sepa- 
rated from  it  by  the  ?^t.  Charles.  They  were  then  to 
cross  this  river  by  a  ford  practicable  at  low  water,  climb 
the  heights  of  St.  Genevieve,  and  gain  the  rear  of  the 
town.  The  small  vessels  of  the  fleet  were  to  aid  the 
movement    by   ascending    the    St.   Charles   as   far    as 


14i 


QUEBEC. 


.Vil 


*i 


the  ford,  lioldiiiLi:  tlic  cnoiny  in  chock  hy  tlicir  fire,  and 
carryinu:  provisions,  ainmunilion,  and  intrencliinfi;  tools, 
for  tii(3  nso  (»t"  the  land  troojts.  When  these  had  crossed 
and  were  ready  to  attack  Qnebcc  in  the  rear,  Phips  was 
to  cannonade  it  in  front,  and  land  two  hun(h-ed  men 
nnder  ('(►v(>r  of  his  ^inis  to  elTect  a  diversion  hy  storm- 
ing the  barricades.  Some  of  tlu;  French  prisoners,  from 
whom  their  captors  ajjpear  to  have  received  a  f^reat  deal 
of  correct  information,  told  the  admiral  that  there  was  a 
place  a  mile  or  two  above  the  town  where  th<i  heii^hts 
mi^ht  be  scaled  and  the  rear  of  the  fortifications  reached 
from  a  direction  opposite  to  that  pro|)osed.  'I'liis  was 
precisely  the  movement  by  which  WoU'e  afterwards 
gained  his  memorable  victory  ;  bnt  I'liips  chose  to  abi(hj 
by  the  ori<iinal  plan. 

While  the  plan  was  debated,  the  oj»portnnity  for  ac- 
complishing it  ebbed  away.  It  was  still  early  wlicn  the 
messenger  returned  from  Quebec  ;  but,  b' fore  Phips  was 
readv  to  act,  the  dav  was  on  the  wane  and  the  tide  was 
against  liim.  He  lay  quietly  at  his  moorings  when,  in 
the  evening,  a  great  shouting,  mingled  with  the  roll  of 
drums  and  the  sound  of  fifes,  was  heard  from  the  Upper 
Town.  The  English  oflicers  asked  their  prisoner,  Gran- 
ville, what  it  meant.  "  Ma  foi.  Messieurs,"  he  replied, 
"  von  have  lost  the  game.  It  is  the  Governor  of  Mon- 
treal  witii  the  people  from  the  country  above.  There  is 
nothing  for  you  now  but  to  pack  and  go  home."  In 
fact,  Calli(^res  had  arrived  with  seven  or  eight  hundred 
men,  many  of  them  regulars.  "With  these  Avcrc  bands 
of  coureurs  de  hois  and  other  young  Canadians,  all  full 
of  fight,  singing  and  whooping  with  martial  glee  as  they 
passed  the  western  gate  and  trooped  down  St.  Louis 
Street. 

Thenextday  was  gusty  and  blustering;  and  still  Phips 


MASSACllUbETTS    ATTACKS    gi  KlJKC. 


145 


I  of 

)[)cr 

Irau- 


!kl  ou- 
tre is 
In 
Idred 
iancls 
full 
they 
iOuis 


*hipg 


lay  quiet,  waiiinir  ou  the  winds  and  the  wavi.'s.  A  small 
vessel,  with  sixty  nicii  on  Itoanl,  under  Ciiptain  Kpiuaini 
Sava<re,  ran  in  towards  the  shore  of  lleanport  ttx'xaniino 
the  lamlinir,  and  stuck  fast  in  the  nuid.     The  Canadians 

• 

plied  her  with  huUets,  and  hronuht  a  cannon  to  hear  on 
her.  They  nii,ii:ht  have  waded  out  and  hoarded  her,  hut 
Savage  and  his  men  l<e|»t  up  so  hot  a  lire  that  they 
forhorc  the  atti;mpt;  and,  when  the  tidt;  rose,  she  lioated 


again. 


There  was  another  night  of  tranquillity;  hut  at  ahout 
eleven  on  Wednesday  morning  the  FrcMU'h  heard  the 
lOnglish  liles  and  drnuis  in  fidl  action,  while  repeated 
shouts  of  "(Jod  save  King  William!"  rose  from  all  the 
vessels.  This  lasted  an  honr  or  more  ;  alter  which  a 
great  numher  of  hoats,  loaded  with  nu'ii,  pnt  out  from 
the  fleet  and  rowed  rapidly  towards  the  shore  of  Beau- 
port.  The  tide  was  low,  and  the  hoats  grounded  heforo 
reaching  the  landing-place.  The  French  on  the  rock 
could  sec  the  troops  through  telescopes,  looking  in  the 
distance  like  a  swarm  of  hlack  ants,  as  they  waded 
through  mud  and  water,  and  formed  in  eomj>anics  along 
the  strand.  They  were  some  thirteen  hundred  in  num- 
her, and  were  commanded  l)v  Major  Wallev.  Frontenac 
had  sent  three  hundred  sharpshooters,  under  Sainte- 
Ilelene,  to  meet  them  and  hold  them  in  check.  A  hat- 
talion  of  troops  followed  :  but,  long  hefore  they  could 
reach  the  spot,  Saiute-lU'lone's  men,  with  a  few  militia 
from  the  neighboring  parishes,  aiul  a  band  of  Huron 
warriors  from  Lorette,  threw  themselves  into  the  thick- 
ets along  the  front  of  the  English,  and  opened  a  distant 
but  galling  fire  upon  the  compact  bodies  of  the  en(Mny, 
Walley  ordered  a  charge.  The  New  England  men  rushed, 
in  a  disorderly  manner,  but  with  great  impetuosity,  up 
the  rising  ground;  received  two  volleys,  which  failed  to 

10 


146 


QUEBEC. 


cliL'ck  lliein ;  and  drove  hack  tliu  assailants  in  sonio 
confusion.  They  turned,  however,  and  fouj^lit  in  Indian 
fashioji  with  courage  Jind  address,  leaping  and  dodging 
anutng  trees,  roeks,  and  hushes,  firing  as  they  retreated, 
and  MiHicling  more  harm  than  (hey  received.  Towards 
evening  they  disappeared;  and  Walley,  whose  men  had 
been  much  se  itteied  in  the  desidtory  light,  drew  them  to- 
getlier  jk-.  -  >:i  as  he  could,  and  advanced  towards  the  St. 
C-arles,  in  order  to  meet  the  vessels  which  were  to  aid 
iiim  in  )»assing  the  lord.  Here  he  posted  sentinels,  and 
cncampeil  lor  the  night,  lie  had  lost  four  killed  and 
about  sixty  wounded,  and  imagined  that  he  had  killed 
twenty  or  thirty  of  the  enemy.  In  fact,  however,  their 
loss  was  much  less,  though  among  the  killed  was  a 
valuable  oHieer,  the  (,^hevalier  de  Clermont,  and  among 
the  woundtnl  the  veteran  caj)tain  of  IJeauport,  Juchereau 
dc  Saint-Denis,  more  than  sixty-four  years  of  age.  In 
the  evening,  a  deserter  came  to  the  English  camp,  and 
brought  the  unwelcome  intelligence  that  there  were  three 
thousand  armed  men  in  Quebec. 

Meanwhile,  Phips,  whose  fault  hitherto  had  not  ])ecn 
an  excess  of  promptitude,  grew  imi)atient,  and  made  a 
premature  movement  inconsistent  with  the  preconcerted 
plan.  He  left  his  moorings,  anchored  his  largest  ships 
befoi'c  the  town,  and  prej)nred  to  caniionade  it;  but  the 
fiery  veteran  who  watched  him  from  the  Chateau  St. 
Louis  anticipated  him,  and  gave  him  the  first  shot.  I'hiits 
replied  furiously,  opening  fire  with  every  gun  that  he 
could  bring  to  bear ;  while  the  rock  paid  him  hack  in 
kind,  aiid  belched  flame  and  smoke  from  all  its  batteries. 
So  fierce  and  rapid  was  the  firing,  that  La  llr)ntan  com- 
pares it  to  volleys  of  musketry  ;  and  old  ofiicers,  who  had 
seen  many  sieges,  declared  that  they  had  never  known 
the  like.    The  din  was  prodigious,  reverberated  from  the 


MASSACHUSETTS    ATTACKS    QUEIJEC. 


]47 


siirroundiivj;  licidits,  and  rolled  back  from  llio  dislaiit 
mouiitaiiis  in  one  continuous  roar.  On  the  part  of  tlio 
Knulisli,  however,  surprisinuiy  little  was  accomplished 
besid(^  noise  and  s)nok(,>.  The  practice  of  their  liiinners 
was  so  had  thai  many  of  their  shot  struck  harmlessly 
jiuainst  the  face  of  the  cliff.  Thrir  uuns,  too,  were  v«'ry 
light,  ;ind  apjiear  to  have  heen  eharued  with  a  vic'w 
to  the  most  riu;id  economy  of  ,i>-uiij)()\vdcr ;  for  the  hiilh^ 
failed  to  pierce  the  stone  walls  of  the  huildinns.  and 
did  so  little  damiiire  that,  as  the  French  boasted,  twenty 
crowns  would  have  repaired  it  all.  Night  came  at  length, 
ami  the  turmoil  ceased. 

I'hips  la:  «iniet  till  dayhn^ak,  when  Frontenac  scut  a 
shot  to  waken  him,  and  th<'  cannonade  began  again. 
Sainle-lb'h'ne  had  returned  from  I>cau|»ort  ;  and  he, 
with  his  brother  Maricourt,  took  charge  of  the  two  bat- 
teries of  the  Lowei"  Town,  aiming  the  giius  in  ptTson, 
.and  throwing  balls  of  eiLditeen  and  twcntv-four  pounds 
with  excellent  precision  against  the  four  largest  shipd 
of  the  fleet.  One  of  their  shots  cut  the  flagstaff  of  Hie 
admiral,  and  (he  cross  of  St.  (Jeorge  fell  into  the  river. 
It  drifted  with  the  tide  towards  the  north  shore  ;  wherc;- 
npon  several  Canatlians  j)addled  out  in  a  birch  canoe, 
secured  it,  and  brought  it  back  in  triumph,  (m  i]\o. 
spire  of  the  cathedral  in  the  I'lipcr  Town  had  I, 'cn 
Inmg  a  )>ic(nre  <>f  the  Holy  Family,  as  an  invocation  of 
divine  aid.  Tlu^  l*uritan  gunners  wasted  (heir  ammuni- 
tion in  vain  aMempts  (o  knock  it  down.  Thai  it  escaped 
(heir  malice  was  ascribed  (o  miracle,  bu(  the  miracle 
Avould   have  been  greater  if  (hey  had  hit  it. 

At  length,  one  o<"  the  ships,  which  had  suffered  most, 
luiuled  ofl'  and  abandoned  (he  light.  That  of  the  admiral 
had  fai'cd  little  better,  and  now  her  condition  grew  des- 
perate.    With  her  rigging  torn,  her  mainmast  half  ciit 


148 


QUEBEC. 


m 


through,  her  mizzon-mast  splintered,  her  eahin  pierced, 
and  lier  liull  riddled  with  shet,  another  volley  seemed 
likely  to  sink  her,  when  Phips  ordered  her  to  be  cut 
loos(^  from  her  moorinijs,  and  she  drifted  out  of  fire, 
leavinj^  eablo  and  anchor  behind.  Tiie  remaining  ships 
soon  gave  ovei-  tlie  conflict,  and  withdrew  to  stations 
where  they  CDuld  neither  do  harm  nor  sulTer  it. 

Phil)s  had  thrown  away  nearly  all  his  ammunition  in 
this  futiln  and  disastrous  attack,  which  should  have 
been  deferred  till  the  moment  when  VValiey,  witii  his 
land  force,  had  gained  the  rear  of  the  town.  Walley 
lay  in  his  camp,  his  men  wet,  shivering  with  cold, 
famished,  and  sickening  with  the  small-pox.  Food,  ai.'d 
all  other  sujjplies,  were  to  have  been  brought  him  by 
the  small  vessels,  which  should  have  entered  the  mouth 
of  the  St.  Ciiarles  and  aided  him  to  cross  it.  Ihit  he 
waited  for  them  in  vain.  Every  vessel  that  carried  a 
gun  had  busied  itself  in  cannonading,  and  the  rest  did 
not  move.  There  ap|)ears  to  have  been  insubordinati(m 
among  the  masters  of  these  small  craft,  some  of  whom, 
iH'ing  owners  or  part-owners  of  the  vessels  they  com- 
maudcd,  were  probably  unwilling  to  run  them  into 
danger.  Walley  was  no  soldier  ;  but  he  saw  that  to 
attempt  the  passage  of  the  river  without  aid,  under  the 
batteries  of  the  town  and  in  the  face  of  forces  twice  as 
numerous  as  his  own,  was  not  an  easy  task.  Froutenac, 
on  his  ))art,  says  that  he  wished  him  to  do  so,  knowing 
that  the  attem})t  would  ruin  him.  The  New  England 
m(Mi  wen;  eager  to  push  on  ;  but  the  night  of  Thursday, 
the  day  of  Phips's  repulse,  was  so  cold  that  ice  form(;d 
more  than  an  inch  in  thickness,  and  the  half-starved 
militia  sufTered  intensely.  Six  field-pioces,  with  their 
ammunition,  had  been  sent  ashore  ;  but  they  were  nearly 
useless,  as  there  were  no  means  of  moving  them.     Half 


MASSACHUSETTS  ATTACKS  QUEBEC. 


149 


lOU 

om, 
oni- 
iiito 
it  to 
tho 
0  a« 

MilC, 

\vin<j; 
l:»nd 
^<lay, 
•nu'cl 

tvofl 
llieir 
ri\rly 

llaif 


a  barrel  of  nuiskct  j)ow(l('r,  and  one  l)isciiit  for  each 
man,  were  also  landed  ;  and  with  this  niea.ure  aid  Walley 
was  left  to  capture  Quebec,  lie  might,  had  he  dared, 
have  made  a  dash  across  the  fold  on  the  morning  of 
Thursday,  and  assaulted  the  town  in  the  rear  while 
Phips  was  cannonading  it  in  front ;  but  his  courage  was 
not  ecpial  to  so  desperate  a  venture.  The  firing  ceased, 
and  the  jxtssible  op]»ortunity  was  lost.  The  citizen 
soldier  despaired  of  success  ;  and,  on  tin;  morning  of 
Friday,  he  went  on  board  the  admiral's  ship  to  explain 
liis  situation.  While  he  was  gone,  his  men  |»ut  them- 
selves in  motion,  and  advanced  iilong  the  borders  of  the 
St.  CliMi'les  towards  the  ford.  Fronteuiic,  with  three  bat- 
talion.s  i)i  i-eguhir  troops,  went  to  rcecivt^  them  at  the 
crossing;  while  Sainte-IIeUiie,  with  his  brother  Lon- 
gueuil,  passed  the  ford  with  a  body  'f  (^uiiulians,  and 
ope!ie<i  lire  on  them  from  the  neighboring  thickets, 
Theii  i;<lvance  [larties  were  di-iven  in,  and  thei'e  was  a 
hot  skirmish,  the  chief  loss  falling  on  the  New  Kugland 
men.  wlio  were  fully  exjiosed.  On  the  side  of  the  Ficnch, 
Sainte-IIeb'iie  was  mortally  wound(>d,  and  his  bi-otber 
was  hurt  by  a  spent  ball.  Towards  evening,  the  Cana- 
dians withdrew,  and  the  Fill irlish  encamped  for  the  night. 
Their  eommander  presently  rejoined  them.  The  admiral 
had  given  him  leave  to  withdraw  them  to  the  lieet,  and 
boats  were  acconlingly  sent  to  bring  them  off;  but,  as 
these  did  not  arrive  till  about  daybreak,  it  was  necessary 
to  dell  r  the  embarkation  till  the  next  night. 

At  dawn,  Quebec  was  all  astir  with  the  beating  of 
drums  and  tlu*  ringing  of  bells.  The  N\'W  Mugland 
drum«  H'plied  ;  and  Walley  drew  up  b's  men  uinler 
arms,  expecting  an  attack,  for  the  town  was  so  near 
that  tbe  hubbub  of  voices  from  within  could  plainly  be 
heard,     Tlu-  noise  gradually  died  away  ;  antl,  except  a 


::  r 


150 


QUEBEC. 


fuw  shots  from  the  i'anij>iirt.s,  the  invaders  were  left 
undisturbed.  Walley  sent  two  or  three  eompanies  to 
beat  up  the  neighboring^  thickets,  where  he  suspected 
that  the  enemy  was  huking.  On  the  way,  they  had  the 
good  hick  to  find  and  kill  a  number  of  catth^,  wliich 
they  cooked  and  ate  on  the  spot  ;  whereu|)on,  being 
greatly  refreshed  and  invigorated,  they  dashed  forward 
in  complete  disorder,  and  were  soon  met  by  the  lire  of 
the  ambushed  Canadians.  Several  more  companies  were 
sent  to  their  sup|M)rt,  and  the  skirmishing  became  lively. 
Three  detachments  froiu  Quebec  had  crossed  the  river  ; 
and  the  militia  ol"  Beauport  and  I>eau])re  had  hastened 
to  join  them.  They  fought  like  Indians,  hiding  behind 
trees  or  throwing  themselves  Hat  among  llu;  bushes, 
and  laying  repeated  ambuscades  as  they  slowly  fell 
back.  At  length,  they  all  made  a  stand  on  a  hill  behind 
the  buildings  and  fences  of  a  farm  ;  and  here  they  held 
their  ground  till  night,  while  the  New  Kngland  men 
taunted  them  as  cowards  who  would  never  light  except 
under  cover. 

Walley,  who  wilh  his  main  body  had  stood  in  arms  all 
day,  now  called  in  the  skirmishers,  and  fell  back  to  the 
landing-place,  where,  as  soon  as  it  grew  dark,  the  boiits 
arrived  from  the  fleet.  The  siek  men,  of  whom  there 
were  manv,  wen^  s(>nt  on  board,  and  (hen,  juuid  Hoods 
of  rain,  the  whole  foi'ce  embarked  in  noisy  confusion, 
leaving  behind  them  in  the  nnid  live  of  their  cannon. 
Hasty  as  was  theii-  parting,  th(>ir  conduct  on  the  whole 
had  been  credituble;  and  f^a  Iloutan,  who  was  in  (Quebec 
at  the  time,  says  of  them,  '"They  fought  vigorously, 
though  as  ill-disciplined  ns  m(>n  gatb  retl  together  at 
random  could  be;  for  they  did  not  .aek  courage,  and, 
if  they  failed,  it  was  by  reason  of  their  entir(»  ignorance 
of  discipline,  and  because  they   were  exhausted  by  the 


MASSACHUSETTS  ATTACKS  QUEBEC. 


lol 


)(lrt 
on, 
ion. 
lolo 

sly, 

ni 

n-l, 

nco 

tlic 


fatigues  of  the  voyjiiic."  Of  Phips  ho  sjjoaks  with 
contempt,  and  says  that  he  could  not  have  serveil  tho 
French  better  if  they  liad  bribed  liiin  to  stand  all  tho 
while  with  his  arms  f(jlded.  Some  allowance  should, 
nevertheless,  be  made  him  for  tlu?  unmanai^eaiile  tihar- 
acter  of  the  force  under  his  command,  the  constitution 
of  which  was  fatal  to  military  subordination. 

On  Sunday,  the  morning  aft(,'r  th(^  re-embarkation, 
Phi|»s  called  a  council  of  olTicers,  and  it  was  i-esolveJ 
that  the  men  should  rest  for  a  dav  or  two,  that  there 
should  be  a  meeting-  for  i)rayer,  and  that,  if  annnunitioii 
enough  could  be  found,  aiutther  landing  should  be  at- 
tempted; but  the  rough  weather  |)revented  the  prayer- 
meeting,  and  the  plan  of  a  new  attack  was  fortunat(dy 
aliandoni'd. 

(.Quebec  remaine(l  in  agitation  and  alarm  till  Tuesday, 
when  Phips  weighed  anchor  and  disappeared,  with  all 
his  licet,  behind  the  Island  of  Orleans,  lie  did  not  go 
far,  as  indeed  he  could  not,  but  stopped  foiu'  leagues 
below  to  mend  rigging,  bu'tily  wounded  masts,  ami  stop 
shot-holes,  .^ubercase  had  gone  with  a  detaclnnent  to 
watch  the  retiring  enemy;  ami  l'hi|>s  w  is  repeatedly 
seen  among  his  men,  on  a  scaffold  iit  the  side  of  his 
ship,  exi'rcising  his  old  trade  id'  cai'peiter.  This  delay 
was  turned  to  good  use  by  an  exehanue  of  |>ris»»ners. 
Chief  among  those  in  the  hands  of  the  French  was 
Captain  Davis,  late  connnandei-  at  C'seo  IJay  ;  and  tliero 
were  also  two  young  daughters  of  Lieutenant  Clark,  who 
had  been  killed  at  the  same  pl.ae<\  Frontenae  himself 
had  humanely  ransomed  tlii'se  children  from  the  Indians; 
and  Madame  de  Champigny.  wile  of  the  intendant,  had, 
with  e(puil  kindness,  bought  fi'om  them  a  little  girl 
named  ."^arah  (Jerrish,  and  |)laeed  jier  in  i-haru'c  '.>f 
the  nuns   at    the    liotel-Dieu,   who   ha«l    beconu'   greatly 


IB 


152 


QUEBEC. 


n 


\l    -i 


attaclicd  to  lior,  wliilo  .slio,  on  her  part,  left  them  with 
rehictauce.  Tlic  French  liad  the  hotter  in  these  ex- 
changes, receiving  able-bodied  men,  and  returning,  with 
the  exception  oi'  Davis,  only  women  and  children. 

The  heretics  were  gone,  and  Quebec  breathed  freely 
again.  Her  escape  had  been  a  narrow  one ;  not  that 
three  thousand  men,  in  part  regular  troops,  defending 
one  of  the  strongest  positions  on  the  continent,  and 
commanded  by  Frontenac,  could  not  defy  the  attacks  of 
two  thousand  raw  lishermen  and  farmers,  led  bv  an 
ignorant  civilian,  but  the  numbers  which  were  a  source 
of  stiength  were  at  the  same  time  a  source  of  weakness. 
Nearly  all  the  adult  nudes  of  Canada  were  gathered  at 
Quebec,  and  there  was  imminent  danger  of  starvation. 
Cattle  from  the  neighboring  parishes  had  been  hastily 
driven  into  the  town  ;  but  there  was  little  other  pro- 
vision, and  before  Phips  retreated  the  pinch  of  famine 
had  begun.  Ihul  In;  come  a  week  earlier  or  stayed  a 
week  later,  the  French  themselves  believed  that  Quebec 
would  have  fallen,  in  the  one  case  for  want  of  men,  and 
in  the  other  for  want  of  food. 

Fhips  returned  crestfallen  to  Boston  late  in  Novem- 
ber; and  one  by  one  the  rest  of  the  (leet  came  strag- 
gling after  him,  battered  and  weather-beaten.  Some 
did  not  api)ear  till  February,  and  three  or  four  never 
came  at  all.  The  autumn  aiul  early  winter  were  un- 
usually stormy.  Captain  Uainsfoi'd,  with  sixty  men, 
was  wrecked  on  the  Island  of  Anticosti,  where  more 
than  half  their  luunber  died  of  cidd  and  misery.  In  the 
other  vessels,  sonu^  were  drowned,  some  frost-bitten,  and 
above  two  hundred  killed  by  small-pox  and  fever. 

At  Boston,  all  was  dismay  and  gloom.  TIu?  Puritan 
bowed  l)efore"this  awful  frown  of  (Jod,"  and  searched 
his  conscience  for  the  sin  that  had  brought  upon  him  so 


MASSACHUSETTS  ATTACKS  QUEBEC.     153 

fitern  a  cliustisoment.  Massachusetts,  already  impover- 
ished, found  herself  in  extremity.  The  war,  inst(>ad  of 
paymg  for  itself,  had  burdened  her  with  an  additional 
debt  of  fifty  thousand  po.nids.  The  sailors  and  soldiers 
were  clamorous  for  their  pay;  and,  to  satisfy  them,  the 
colony  was  forced  for  the  first  time  in  i(s  history  to  issue 
a  paper  cui-rency.  It  was  nuule  receivable  at  a  invmium 
for  all  public  debts,  and  was  also  fortified  by  a  provision 
for  Its  early  redemption  by  taxation ;  a  provision  which 
was  carried  into  effect  in  spite  of  i)overty  and  distress. 

Massachusetts  had  made  her  usual  mistake.  She  hiid 
confidently  believed  that  ignorance  and  inexi)erienco 
could  match  the  skill  of  a  tiled  veteran,  and  that  the 
rude  courage  of  her  fishermen  and  farmers  could  tri- 
uniph  without  discipline  or  leadership.  The  conditions 
of  her  material  prosperity  were  adverse  to  elliciencv  in 
war.  A  trading  republic,  without  trained  ofTicers,  may 
win  victories;  but  it  wins  them  either  by  accident  or  by 
an  extravagant  outlay  in  money  and  life. 


'1  i 


''  ! 


ill 

m 


THE  HEIGHTS  OF  ABRAHAM. 


i'l 


'T^HE  early  part  of  the  Seven  Y(>ars'  War  was  disas- 
-*•  trous  to  England,  The  tide  turned  with  the  ac- 
'icssion  to  power  of  the  great  war  minister,  William  Pitt. 
In  1750,  he  sent  (Jeneral  James  Wolfe  with  a  combined 
military  and  naval  force  to  capture  Quebec.  The  British 
troops  numbered  somewhat  less  than  nine  thousand, 
while  Montcalm  and  Vaudreuil  were  posted  to  receive 
them,  on  positions  almost  impregnable,  with  an  army 
of  regulars,  Canadians,  and  Indians,  amounting  in  all 
to  about  sixteen  thousand.  The  great  height  of  the 
shores  made  the  British  ships  of  little  or  no  use  for 
purj)oses  of  attack. 

Wolfe  took  possession  of  Point  Levi,  from  which  he 
bombarded  Quebec.  He  also  seized  the  high  grounds 
just  below  the  Montmorenci,  and  vainly  tried  to  cross 
that  stream  above  the  cataract  and  gain  the  rear  of 
Montcalm's  army,  which  lay  encamped  along  the  shore 
from  the  Montmorenci  to  the  citv.  Failing  in  this  and 
every  other  attempt  to  force  the  enemy  to  a  battle,  he 
rashly  resolved  to  attack  them  in  front,  up  the  steep 
declivities  at  the  top  of  which  they  were  intrenched. 
The  grenadiers  dashed  forward  prematurely  and  without 
orders,  struggling  desperately  to  scale  the  heights  under 
a  deadly  fire.  The  I'esult  was  a  complete  repulse,  with 
heavy  loss. 

The  capture  of  Quebec  now  seemed  hopidess.  Wolfe 
was  almost  in  despair.     His  body  was  as  frail  as  his 


disas- 
he  ac- 
n  Pitt, 
nbiucd 
Diiti^h 
lusaiul, 
receive 
I  army 
ill  all 
of  the 
use  for 

lich  he 
rounds 

cross 
car  of 

shore 
us  and 
ttlc,  he 
'  steep 
iichcd. 
•vithoiit 

under 
c,  with 

Wolfe 
as  his 


i 


■  's 


THE    HEIGHTS    OF    ADRAIIAM. 


155 


spirit  was  anient  and  daring.  Sineo  the  siege  began 
ho  had  passed  with  ctjaseiess  <'n<!rgy  from  eanip  to 
camp,  animating  the  troops,  ohs(»rving  everytiiing, 
and  directing  everything;  but  now  th«!  pale  lace  and 
tall  lean  ft)rm  were  seen  no  more,  and  the  inmor  spiead 
that  tiie  (General  wjis  dangerously  ill.  He  had  in  tact 
been  seized  by  an  access  ot"  the  disease  that  had  tortured 
him  for  some  time;  j»ast;  and  fijver  had  followed.  His 
(juarters  were  at  a  French  farmhouse  in  the  cump  at, 
Montmorenci ;  and  here,  as  he  lay  in  an  upper  chamber, 
helpless  in  bed,  his  singular  and  most  unmilitary  tea- 
tures  liaggard  with  disease  and  drawn  with  pain,  no 
man  could  less  have  looked  the  hero.  IJut  as  the  needle, 
though  (luivering,  points  always  to  the  pole,  so,  through 
torment  and  languor  and  the  heats  of  fever,  the  mind  of 
Wolfe  dwelt  on  the  capture  of  Quebec.  His  illness, 
which  begnn  before  the  twentieth  of  August,  had  so 
far  subsided  on  the  tweuty-hlth  that  Captain  Knox 
wrote  in  his  Diarv  of  that  day:  "His  Exccllencv  Gen- 
eral  Wolfe  is  on  the  recovery,  to  the  inconceivable  joy 
of  the  whole  arm  v."  On  the  twentv-ninth  he  was  able 
to  write  or  dictate  a  letter  to  the  three  brigadiers, 
Monckton,  Townshcnd,  and  Murray:  "That  the  public 
service  may  not  suffer  by  the  Generars  indisposition, 
he  begs  the  brigadiers  will  meet  and  consult  together 
for  the  ])ublic  utility  and  advantage,  and  consider  of  tho 
best  method  to  attack  tlu^  enemy."  The  letter  then 
j)roi)Oses  three  plans,  all  bold  to  audacity.  The  first 
was  to  send  a  part  of  the  army  to  ford  the  ^fontmorenci 
eight  or  nine  miles  above  its  mouth,  march  through  tho 
forest,  ai.d  fall  on  t'nc  rear  of  the  French  at  l>cauport, 
while  the  rest  landed  and  attacked  them  in  front.  Tho 
second  was  to  cross  the  ford  at  the  mouth  of  the  IMont- 
morcnci  and  march  along  the  strand,  under  the  French 


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QUEBEC. 


4*1 


i      i:i 


i 


iiitrciK'limciits,  till  a  place  could  be  found  where  the 
troo[)S  ini^ht  climb  tlie  heights.  The  third  was  to  make 
a  general  attack  from  boats  at  the  IJeauport  flats.  Wolfe 
had  before  entertained  two  otlier  plans,  one  of  which  was 
to  scale  the  heights  at  St.  Michel,  about  a  league  above 
Quel)ec  ;  but  this  he  had  abandoned  on  learning  that  the 
French  were  there  in  force  to  receive  him.  The  other 
was  to  storm  the  Lower  Town  ;  but  this  iilso  he  had 
ahandoned,  because  the  U})per  Town,  which  commanded 
it,  would  still  remain  inaccessible. 

The  brigadiers  met  in  consultation,  rejected  the  three 
plans  [)roposed  in  the  letter,  and  advised  that  an  attempt 
should  be  made  to  gain  a  h)oting  on  the  north  shore 
above  the  town,  place  the  army  between  Montcalm  and 
his  base  of  suj>ply,  and  so  force  him  to  tight  or  surren- 
der. Tlie  scheme  was  similar  to  that  of  the  heights  of 
St.  Michel.  It  seemed  desperate,  but  so  did  all  the 
rest;  and  if  by  chance  it  should  succeed,  the  gain  was 
far  gi'eater  than  could  follow  any  success  below  the 
town.     Wolfe  embrjL'cd       at  once. 

Not  that  he  saw  much  hope  in  it.  He  knew  that 
every  chance  was  against  him.  Disappointment  in  the 
past  and  gloom  in  the  future,  the  pain  and  exhaustion 
of  disease,  toils,  and  anxieties  "  too  great,"  in  the  words 
of  Burke,  "to  be  supi)orted  by  a  delicate  constitution, 
and  a  body  unequal  to  the  vigorous  and  enterprising  soul 
that  it  lodged,"  threw  him  at  times  into  deep  dejection. 
By  those  intimate  with  him  he  was  heard  to  say  that  he 
would  not  go  back  defeated,  "to  be  exposed  to  the  cen- 
sure and  reproach  of  an  ignorant  po})ulace."  In  other 
moods  he  felt  that  he  ought  not  to  sacrifice  what  wps 
left  of  his  diminished  army  in  vain  conflict  with  hoi)e- 
less  obstacles.  But  his  final  resolve  once  taken,  he 
would  not  swerve  from  it.     Ills  fear  was  that  he  might 


THE    HEIGHTS    OF    ABRAHAM. 


157 


that 
the 
stion 

urds 

iitioii, 

soul 

ction. 

alt  he 
e  ccu- 

othcr 
it  ^vl's 

hoi)e- 
311,  ho 

miiiht 


not  be  ahlc  to  load  his  trooj)S  in  person.  "  I  kno\r  per- 
fectly well  you  cannot  cure  me,"  he  said  to  his  physician  ; 
"hut  })ray  make  me  up  so  that  I  may  be  without  pain 
for  a  few  days,  and  able  to  do  my  duty  :  that  is  all  I 
want." 

On  the  last  of  August,  he  was  able  for  the  first  time  to 
leave  the  house.  It  was  on  this  same  day  that  he  wrote 
his  last  letter  to  his  mother:  "My  >v'iitin!j;'  to  you  will 
convince  yon  that  no  ])ersonal  evils  worse  than  defeats 
and  disappointments  have  fallen  uj)on  me.  The  enemy 
puts  nothing  to  risk,  and  I  can't  in  conscience  |)ut  the 
whole  armv  to  risk.  Mv  antagonist  has  wisclv  shut 
himself  u})  in  inaccessible  intrenchments,  so  that  I  can't 
get  at  him  without  spilling  a  torrent  of  blood,  and  that 
perhaps  to  little  purpose.  The  Marquis  de  Montcalm  is 
at  the  head  of  a  great  number  of  bad  soldiers,  and  1 
am  at  the  head  of  a  small  number  of  good  ones,  that 
wish  for  nothing  so  much  as  to  fight  him;  but  the  wary 
old  fellow  avoids  an  action,  doubtful  of  the  behavior 
of  his  army.  People  must  bo  of  the  professicm  to  un- 
derstand the  disadvantages  and  difhculties  we  labor 
under,  arising  from  the  uncommon  natural  strength  of 
the  countrv." 

On  the  second  of  September  a  vessel  was  sent  to  Eng- 
land with  his  last  despatch  to  Pitt.  It  begins  thus : 
"  The  obstacles  we  have  met  with  in  the  operations  of 
the  campaign  are  much  greater  than  we  had  reason  to 
expect  or  could  foresee ;  not  so  much  from  the  nund)er 
of  tlic  enemy  (though  superior  to  ua)  as  from  the  natu- 
ral strength  of  the  country,  which  the  ^fanpiis  of  Mont- 
calm seems  wisely  to  depend  upon.  When  I  learned 
that  succors  of  all  kinds  had  been  thrown  into  Quebec  ; 
that  (ivQ  battalions  of  regular  troops,  completed  from  the 
best  inhabitants  of  the  country,  some  of  the  troops  of 


158 


QUEDEC. 


i     ; 


the  colony,  and  every  Canadian  that  was  able  to  bear 
arms,  besides  several  nations  of  savages,  had  taken  the 
field  in  a  very  advantageous  situation,  —  I  could  not 
flatter  myself  that  1  should  be  able  to  reduce  the  place. 
I  sought,  however,  an  occasion  to  attack  their  army, 
knowing  well  that  witli  these  troops  I  was  able  to  light, 
,and  hoping  that  a  victory  might  disperse  them."  Then, 
after  recounting  the  events  of  the  campaign  with  ad- 
mirable clearness,  he  continues  :  "  1  found  myself  so  ill, 
and  am  still  so  weak,  that  1  begged  the  general  ofiicei's 
to  consult  together  for  the  general  utility.  They  are  all 
of  opinion  that,  as  more  ships  and  provisions  are  now 
got  above  the  town,  they  should  try,  by  conveying  up 
a  corps  of  four  or  five  thousand  men  (which  is  nearly 
the  whole  strength  of  the  army  after  the  Points  of  Levi 
and  Orleans  arc  left  in  a  proper  state  of  defence),  to 
draw  the  enemy  from  their  present  situation  and  bring 
them  to  an  action.  I  have  acquiesced  in  the  proposal, 
and  we  are  preparing  to  put  it  into  execution."  The  let- 
ter ends  thus :  "  By  the  list  of  disabled  olfieers,  many 
of  whom  are  of  rank,  you  may  j)erceive  that  the  army  is 
mucli  weakened.  By  the  nature  of  the  river,  the  most 
formidable  part  of  this  armament  is  deprived  of  the 
power  of  acting ;  yet  we  have  almost  the  Avhole  force  of 
Canada  to  oppose.  In  this  situation  there  is  such  a 
choice  of  dilhculties  that  I  own  myself  at  a  loss  how  to 
determine.  The  affairs  of  Great  Britain,  I  know,  require 
the  most  vigorous  measures ;  but  the  courage  of  a  hand- 
ful of  brave  troops  should  be  exerted  only  when  there 
is  some  hope  of  a  favorable  event ;  however,  you  may 
be  assured  that  the  small  part  of  the  campaign  which 
remains  shall  be  employed,  as  far  as  1  am  able,  for  the 
honor  of  His  Majesty  and  the  interest  of  the  nation,  in 
which  I  am  sure  of  being  well  seconded  by  the  Admiral 


THE   IIEIGnrS    op   ABIiAIIAJT. 


159 


iind  In-  (lio  generals;  liannv  if  our  eir„rf  .  i 
tnl,ute  to  (l,e  snoee.,  of  I  .'fjlaie    v's       '  ""  ''""" 

parts  of  America."  ^     ^  '  """'  '"  ""-^-  """■■'■ 

lVrl,ai«  ho  ,vns  as   near  .lespair  as  l,is   ,„uh„nt,.,l 
"n  ure  was  capable  of  bein,.     J„  ,,,3  presen      t 
l.Kly  n,jd  nund  he   >vas  a  hero  wi.hont  tl,,.    i,  1     ' 
'=."cer  oi    heroism,      lie   (hittered  himself  Ju     .     ' 
-.ns,  hut  .sa.  the  wor,,t  amMacea  ia  ;    '    a^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
to  liavc  been  entirely  uithont  ex.Mt.Mnent      Ti,l  In 

Audacious  a.s  it  wa.s,  his  plan  cannot  be  called  rash 
It  we  n>ay  accept  the  statement  of  t»o  well  i  1,' ,  , 
Jtcr.,  on  the  French  side.     The,  sa,  tl^t ,  ,' 

of  S..pten,ber  the  Engli.sh   naval   comn,au,lers   he, 
conned  on  board  the  tlagship,  i„  which  it  was  re    1  ed 
hat  the  lateness  of  the  season  re,i„ircd  the  (leet  to  I  ■  • 
Quebec  without  delay.      They  say  further  that   W    fe 
en  went  to  the  Adn.iral,  told  hin,  that  he  had  fo      1  a 
place  where  the  heights  could  be  scaled,  that  he     old 
send  up  a  hundred  and  hfty  picked  „>e„    o  fc       he        ' 
and  tha    ,f  they  gained  a  lodgment  at  the  top, ,      0    ^r' 
troops  should  follow;  if,  on  the  other  hand,   ho  F,"c, 
were    here  m  force  to  oppose  then,,  ho  would  „o     a 
fice  the  army  in  a  hopeless  atten.pt,  but  en.ba,"     h  'n 
for  homo   consoled  by  the  thought  that  all  had  bee" 
done  that  man  could  do.     On  this,  concludes  the  so,- " 

rL,t  ""  ''^  """"'''  ^'"-"'^<1   '«   -i^  "he 

As  Wolfe  had  informed  Pitt,  his  army  w-as  greaflv 

weakened.     Since  the  end  of  June  his  loss  in^'kill'd 


iJfl 


160 


QUEBEC. 


ill ! 


^  ^'1! 


i  I  m 


and  woimdod  was  more  tliaii  eight  hundred  and  fifty, 
including  two  colonols,  two  majors,  nineteen  captains, 
and  thirty-four  snliallerns;  and  to  these  were  to  be 
added  a  greater  number  disabled  by  disease. 

The  s(|uadron  of  Admiral  Holmes  above  Quebec  had 
now  inci'eased  to  twenty-two  vessels,  great  and  small. 
One  of  the  last  that  went  up  was  a  diminutive  schooner, 
armed  with  a  few  swivels,  and  jocosely  named  the 
"  Terror  of  France."  She  sailed  by  the  town  in  broad 
daylight,  the  French,  incensed  at  her  impudence,  blazing 
at  her  from  all  their  batteries  ;  but  she  passed  unharmed, 
anchored  ])y  the  Admiral's  ship,  and  saluted  him  tri- 
umphantly with  her  swivels. 

Wolfe's  first  move  towards  executing  his  plan  was  the 
critical  one  of  evacuating  the  camp  at  Montmorenci. 
This  was  accomplished  on  the  third  of  September. 
Montcalm  sent  a  strong  force  to  fall  on  the  real*  of  the 
retiring  English.  Monckton  saw  the  movement  from 
Point  Levi,  emliarived  two  battalions  in  the  boats  of  the 
fleet,  and  made  a  feint  of  landing  at  Beauport.  Mont- 
calm recalled  his  troops  to  repulse  the  tlireatened  attack  ; 
and  the  English  withdrew  from  Montmorenci  unmolested, 
some  to  the  Point  of  Orleans,  others  to  Point  Levi.  On 
the  night  of  the  fourth  a  fieet  of  flat  boats  passed  above 
the  town  with  the  baggage  and  stores.  On  the  fifth, 
Murray,  with  four  battalions,  marched  up  to  the  River 
Etechemin,  and  forded  it  under  a  hot  fire  from  the 
Frencli  batteries  at  Sillery.  Monckton  and  Townshend 
followed  with  three  more  battalions,  and  the  united 
force,  of  about  thirty-six  hundred  men,  was  em))arked 
on  board  the  ships  of  Holmes,  where  Wolfe  joined  them 
oil  the  same  evening. 

These  movements  of  the  English  filled  the  French 
commanders  with  mingled  perplexity,  anxiety,  and  hope. 


THE    IIEIOIITS    OF    AURAIIAM. 


IGl 


Uvcr 
the 
^bend 
Initcd 
rkcd 
I  them 


ircnch 
hope. 


A  dosortcr  told  tht-m  that  Achniral  Saiindors  was  im- 
[)ationt  to  bo  gone.  Vaudreuil  grew  coiifideiit.  '' Tlie 
ln'oaking  up  of  the  eaiuj)  at  Montmoreiici,"  lie  says, 
"  and  the  ahaiidonmeut  of  the  intrenchments  there,  tin; 
iv-cmbaikation  on  board  the  vessels  above  Qiu'l)ec  of  the 
troops  who  had  cneamp(,'d  on  the  .south  bank,  the  move- 
ments of  these  vessels,  the  removal  of  the  heaviest  picees 
of  artillery  from  the  batteries  of  Point  Levi,  —  these  and 
the  lateness  of  the  season  all  combined  to  announce  the 
s[)eecly  departure  of  the  fleet,  several  vessels  of  which 
had  ev.n  sailed  down  the  river  already.  The  ])risoners 
and  the  deserters  who  daily  came  in  told  us  that  this 
was  the  common  report  in  their  army."  He  wrote 
to  Bourlamaque  on  the  first  of  Sejitember :  "  livery- 
thing  proves  that  the  grand  design  of  the  English  has 
failed." 

Yet  he  was  ceaselessly  watchful.  So  was  Montcalm  ; 
and  he,  too,  on  the  night  of  the  second,  snatched  a 
moment  to  write  to  liourlamaque  from  his  headcjuarters 
in  the  stone  house,  by  the  river  of  Beauj)ort :  '"•  I'he 
night  is  dark  ;  it  rains  ;  orr  troops  are  in  their  tents, 
with  clothes  on,  ready  for  an  alarm  ;  I  in  my  boots ; 
my  horses  saddled.  In  fact,  this  is  my  usual  way.  I 
wish  you  were  here ;  for  I  cannot  be  everywhere,  though 
I  multii»ly  myself,  and  have  not  taken  ofT  my  clothes 
since  the  twentv-third  of  June."  On  the  eleventh  of 
September  he  wrote  his  last  letter  to  Bourlamaque,  and 
])robably  the  last  that  his  jten  ever  traced.  "  I  am 
overwhelmed  with  work,  and  should  often  lose  temper, 
like  you,  if  I  did  not  remember  that  I  am  paid  by  Europe 
for  not  losing  it.  Nothing  new  since  my  last.  I  give 
the  enemy  another  m(mtii,  or  something  less,  to  stay 
here."  The  more  sanguine  Vaudreuil  would  hardly  give 
them  a  week. 

11 


102 


QUEBEC. 


Mciinwliilc,  IK)  iti'crnulion  wns  spared.  Tlio  f')rcc 
iiiidcr  Ijoiitraiiivillc;  al)i)V('  (,Jii(!lj('C  was  raised  to  tlircc 
tlionsiind  iiK.Mi.  .II(^  was  ordered  to  watch  tlic  slioro  as 
far  as  .JacMiucs-Cartier,  and  follow  with  his  main  body 
every  movement  of  iroimcs's  scpiadron.  There  was 
little  fear  for  the  liciLdits  m'ar  the  town;  they  were 
thonulit  inacoessihic.  I'lvcn  Montcalm  believed  them 
safe,  and  had  expressed  himself  to  that  effect  some  time 
bcd'ore.  "  W(!  need  not  sn|)i)ose,"  he  wrote  to  Vniidrenil, 
"that  the  enemy  have  win<^s;''  and  atrain,  speaking  of 
the  very  place  where  Wolfe  afterwjirds  hinded,  "I  swear 
to  you  that  a  hundred  nuui  posted  there  would  stop  their 
whole  army."  lie  was  right.  A  hundred  watchful  and 
determined  men  could  have  held  the  position  long 
enough  ftu*  reinforcements  to  come  up. 

The  hundred  men  were  tliere.  Captnin  dc  Vergor, 
of  the  colony  troops,  commanded  them,  and  reinforce- 
ments were  within  his  call ;  for  the  battalion  of  (Juienne 
iiad  been  ordered  to  encam|)  close  at  liand  on  the  Plains 
of  Abraham.  Yergor's  i)ost,  called  Ansc  du  Foulon, 
was  a  mile  and  a  half  from  Quebec.  A  little  beyond  it, 
by  the  brink  of  the  cliffs,  was  another  post,  called  Samos, 
lield  by  seventy  men  with  four  cannon ;  and,  beyond 
this  again,  the  heights  of  Sillcry  Averc  guarded  l)y  a  linn- 
dred  and  thirty  men,  also  with  cannon.  These  were 
outposts  of  Bougainville,  whose  headquarters  were  at 
Cap-Rouge,  six  miles  above  Sillery,  and  whose  troops 
were  in  continual  movement  along  the  intervening  shore. 
Thus  all  was  vigilance;  for  while  the  French  were 
strong  in  the  hope  of  speedy  delivery,  they  felt  that 
there  was  no  safety  till  the  tents  of  the  invader  had 
vanished  from  their  shores  and  his  ships  from  their 
river.  "What  we  knew,"  says  one  of  them,  "of  the 
character   of   M.    Wolfe,    that    impetuous,    bold,    and 


THE    IIEUaiTS    OF    ABRAHAM. 


k;:] 


intr(']»i(l  warrior,  proparcl  iis  for  a  last  attack  before  he 
left   us." 

Wolfe  had  Ix^eii  verv  ill  on  the  eveiiintr  of  tin;  fourth, 
'{'he  ti'oo|)s  kiunv  it,  and  their  .spirits  sank  :  hut,  after  a 
nit^ht  of  torment,  he  jjrrew  hettci',  and  was  soon  ainonu; 
them  auain,  rekindling  their  ardor,  and  lm|>ai'tini:'  a 
eheer  that  lu;  eonid  not  share.  For  himself  he  had  no 
l»ity  ;  hut  when  lie  heard  of  the  illness  of  two  oHiccrs  in 
one  of  the  ships,  he  sent  them  a  niessacre  of  warm  sym- 


ith 


d  offered 


patliy,  advised  them  to  return  to  Point  Levi,  and  ollered 
them  his  own  barge  and  an  escort.  They  thanke(l  him, 
but  rejjlied  that,  come  what  might,  they  woidd  see  the 
enterprise  to  an  end.  Another  ollicer  remarked  in  his 
licaring  that  (me  of  the  inval'ds  had  a  very  delicate  (mui- 
stitution.  '•  Don't  tell  mo  of  constitution,"  said  Wolh; ; 
"  he  has  good  si)irit,  and  good  spirit  will  carry  a  man 
through  (>verything."  An  inunenso  moral  force  bore  up 
his  own  frail  body  and  forced  it  to  its  work. 

Major  Robert  .Stobo,  who,  five  years  before,  had  been 
given  as  a  hostage  to  th(!  French  at  the  ca])ture  of 
Fort  Necessity,  ai-rived  about  this  time  in  a  vessel  from 
Halifax.  IFe  had  long  l)een  a  prisoner  at  Quebec,  not 
always  in  close  custody,  and  had  usimI  his  o|»portunities 
to  acfpiaint  himself  with  the  neighborhood.  In  the 
spi'ing  of  this  year  h(>  and  an  oflicer  of  rangers  named 
Stevens  had  made  thi.'ir  esca])e  with  extraordinary  skill 
and  daring  ;  and  he  now  returned  to  giv(»  his  country- 
men the  benefit  of  his  local  knowledge.  His  biogra))her 
says  that  it  was  he  who  directed  Wolfe  in  the  choice 
of  a  hinding-pkcc.  Be  this  as  it  may,  Wolfe  in  person 
examined  the  river  and  the  shores  as  far  as  l*ointe-aux- 
Trembles  ;  till  at  length,  landing  on  the  south  side  a 
little  above  Quebec,  and  looking  across  the  water  with 
a  telescope,  he  descried  a  path  that  ran  with  a  long 


KM 


QUKIIKO. 


fl'-l 


hi  I 


^  A  i 


i 


slope  ii|>  IImi  l'iU'(>  of  llit>  woody  |)r(>('i|)ic(\  iiiid  S!i\v  at  lli("> 
lop  a  I'liislci'  of  Iciils.  'I'lit'i  wi'iH!  lliosc  of  \'«'r<2;or's 
|i;u:n'(l  ni  \\\v.  Ansc  dii  I^'omIom,  now  called  Wolfe's  Cove, 
As  lie  vo\\\^\  see  Itiii  ten  oi-  lwelv(!  of  (lieiii,  lie  llioiii;lit 
that  the  ^iiard  eoidd  not  be  niinieroiis,  and  nii^hl  he 
overpowered.  His  hojn;  would  luive  heeii  sti'onu'er  if  he 
had  known  IJiat  Vergor  liad  oiiee  heen  tried  for  niis- 
eondiic't  and  cowardice  in  the  surrender  of  IJeaiis<^j(Hir, 
and  saved  from  merited  (lis^':raee  hv  the  frieiidshij)  of 
the  intendant   l)iii;ot   and  tlu>  protection  of  \'aiidreiiil. 

The  morning  oi  the  seventh  was  fail-  and  warm,  and 
the  vessels  of  Holmes,  tlieir  crowcUMJ  decks  gay  with 
scarh.'t  uniforms,  sailed  up  the  river  to  Cap-Rouge.  A 
lively  scene  awaited  them ;  for  here  Avere  the  head- 
quarters of  JJougainville,  and  here  lay  his  principal 
fi)rce,  while  the  rest  watched  the  baid<s  ahove  and 
below.  The  cove  into  whit'h  the  little  river  runs  was 
guarded  by  floating  batteries;  the  surrounding  shore 
was  defended  by  breastworks;  and  a  lai'gc  body  of 
regulars,  militia,  and  mounted  Canadians  in  blue  uni- 
forms moved  to  and  fro,  with  restless  activity,  on  the 
hills  behind.  When  the  vessels  came  to  anchor,  the 
horsemen  dismounted  and  formed  in  line  with  the  in- 
fant rv  ;  lien,  with  loud  shouts,  the  whole  rushed  down 
the  heights  to  man  their  works  at  the  shore.  That 
true  Briton,  Captain  Knox,  looked  on  with  a  critical 
eye  from  the  gangway  of  his  shij),  and  wrote  that  night 
in  his  Diary  that  they  had  made  a  ridiculous  noise. 
"  How  different !  "  he  exclaims,  "  how  noblv  awful  and 
expressive  of  true  valor  is  the  customary  silence  of 
the  British  troops  !  " 

In  the  afternoon  the  ships  opened  fire,  while  the 
troops  entered  the  boats  and  rowed  up  and  down  as 
if   looking  for  a  landing-place.     It  was  but  a  feint  of 


TIIK    IIKICIirs    OF    AllKAFIAM. 


10 


)t) 


AVoIfc    to  ,l('Coiv(«    l>(Hiu:;iinvilI('  ;is    to   his  rcnl    dcsij, 


rn. 


A  h 


icjivv  cMslcilv  I'liiii   set    III  1)11   llic  ii('\(    ln()|•Mm'^  iiiK 


I 


niul 

was 
■ihore 
ly   of 

iiui- 

\  the 

tlic 

le  iu- 

(lowii 

That, 

Itical 
I  night 
Inoiso. 
Ill  and 

tee  of 

le   the 

rn   as 

lint  of 


lasted  two  (hiys  wilhoiit^  r('s|»il('.  All  opcratioiis  \\('r(! 
siispcmlcd,  and  tlu;  men  siilTered  iii-eally  in  the  crowded 
transports.  Hall' of  I  hem  were  therefore  lan<le(|  on  the 
south  shore,  where  they  made  their  (|iiarlers  in  the 
villa«i,(!  of  St.  Nicolas,  refreshed  themsehcs,  and  dried 
their  wet  (dothiiiLi',  knajtsacks,  and  hlankets. 

For  several  snce'ssivc^  days  the  stjiiadion  of  Ilolnuj.s 
was  allowed  to  drift  up  the  river  with  the  Hood  tid(!  and 
down  witli  th(!  chl),  thus  |iassin,u"  and  repassinu'  inces- 
santly hetw<'en  the  neiuhhorhood  of  Quehec  on  one 
hand,  and  a  point  hiuli  ahovo  ('ap-Koiit!;(!  on  tla;  other; 
whih^  Ijoiiiiainville,  |»ei'ple.\ed,  and  always  expecting"  an 
Jittaek,  follow(>d  the  ships  to  and  fro  alomi;  \\u\  shore, 
by  day  and  by  niirht,  till  his  men  were  exhausted  with 
e"aseless  foreed  marciies. 

At  last  tlu!  time  hu-  a(;tion  came.  On  We(luesday, 
the  twidfth,  the  troo|)S  at  St..  Nicolas  were  embai'ked 
aiiiiin,  and  all  were;  told  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness. 
Wolfe,  from  the  liau'ship  "  Sutherland,"  issuc^d  his  last 
general  orders.  "  The  enemy's  force  is  now  divided, 
great  seareity  of  j>rovisions  in  their  cam|>,  and  nnivei'sal 
diseontent  among  tlie  Canadians.  Our  ti-ooj)s  below  are 
in  readiness  to  join  us  ;  all  tli(!  light  ai-tillery  and  tools 
are  embarked  at  the  Point  of  Levi  ;  and  the  troops  will 
land  where  the  French  seem  least  to  I'Xjteet  it.  The 
first  body  that  gets  on  shore  is  to  march  directly  to  the 
enemy  and  drive  them  from  any  litth;  j)ost  they  may 
occupy  ;  the  othcers  must  be  careful  that  the  succeeding 
bodies  do  not  by  any  mistake  lire  on  those  who  go 
before  them.  The  battalions  must  foi-m  on  tin;  upper 
gi'ouud  with  exjU'dition,  and  be  ready  to  charge  wh;it- 
ever  presents  itself.     When  the  artillery  and  troops  are 


10)0 


gUKHKC. 


Iimdcd,  a  (Mtrps  will  Ix;  Iclt  to  sccuit  tlic  laiuliiiii-iilih'o, 
while  the  itsI  miirch  on  and  (MKlcavor  to  biiiiu-  ihv 
Canadians  and  Fruucli  to  a  halllc  'I'lu;  oHiccrs  and 
men  will  renicniljcr  wlial  tlhir  conntiy  (•x[)(H;tH  from 
(licin,  and  what  a  dL'tcrniincd  hody  ol"  soldici's  inured 
lo  Will'  is  cajjahlo  ol"  <loin,<i'  au'ainst  five  weak  French 
battalions  minjjled   with  a,  disordei'Iy  ]>easanti'y." 

The  sjjirit  of  the  army  answered  to  that  of  its  chief. 
The  troops  loved  and  admired  their  fi-eneral,  trusted 
their  oi'lieers,  and  were  ready  for  any  attemi)t.  "•  Nay, 
liow  eonld  it  be  otherwise,"  (]uaintly  asks  honest  Ser^'eant 
John  Johnson,  of  the  tifty-eii2,litli  retiiment,  "  being  at 
the  heels  of  tientlemen  whose  whole  thirst,  CMjnal  with 
their  n'eneral,  was  for  u'lorv  ?  We  liad  seen  them  tried, 
and  alwa\s  found  tlu'ni  sterlimi;.  We  knew  that  they 
would  stand  bv  us  to  tlu.'  last  extremity." 

Wolfe  had  thirty-six  ]unidi'(>d  men  and  ofrK3ers  with 
him  on  board  the  vessels  of  ITobnes  ;  and  h(^  now  sent 
orders  to  (^donel  I'urton  at  Point  Levi  to  brinui:  to  his 
aid  all  wlio  could  be  si)ared  from  that  ])lace  and  the 
Point  of  Orleans.  They  were  to  march  alonu:  the  south 
bank,  after  ni<rhtl'all,  and  wait  fnrtlwM'  orders  at  a  desiji;- 
nated  sj)ot  convenient  for  embarkation.  Their  number 
was  about  twelve  hundred,  so  that  the  entire  force 
destined  for  the  enter])rise  was  at  the  utmost  forty- 
eight  hundred.  With  these,  Wolfe  meant  to  climb  the 
heights  of  Abraham  in  the  teeth  of  an  enemy  who, 
though  much  reduced,  were  still  twice  as  numerons  as 
their  assailants. 

Admiral  Saunders  lay  Avith  the  main  fleet  in  the  Basin 
of  Quebec.  This  excellent  oflficcr,  whatever  may  have 
been  his  views  as  to  the  necessity  of  a  speedy  dei)arturo, 
aided  Wolfe  to  the  last  with  unfailing  energy  and  zeal. 
It  was   agreed  between  them  that  while  the  General 


TIIK    lIKKillTS    OF    AlJU.VirAM. 


107 


iBasin 
liavc 
|rturo, 
zeal, 
nicral 


iiiiHlt'  llie  I'Oiil  attack,  tlx'  Admiral  hIiouM  cnti'ajro  Mmit- 
calm's  attf'iition  by  a  preteiitU'tl  one.  As  ui^'lit  ap- 
pruaclicd,  the  (leot  ran^'<M|  itself  alonu'  tlic;  HeaujMiil 
shore;  tlie  boats  were  bjwered  and  Idled  with  saib>rs, 
marines,  and  the  few  troops  ihat  had  been  left  brhind  ; 
while  slilp  si^nialled  to  ship,  eannon  Hashed  and  thun- 
dered, and  shot  jdon^died  tlie  beaeh,  as  if  to  (dcjir  a 
way  for  assailants  to  land.  In  the  uloom  of  the  evi'ninu' 
the  effect  was  iniposinLf.  Monteahn.  who  thonjihl  that 
the  movements  of  the  Kn^Lilish  above  the  town  were  only 
a  I'eint,  that  their  main  force  was  still  below  it,  and  tliat 
their  real  attack  wonld  be  made  there,  was  couipi'-tely 
deceived,  and  massed  his  troops  in  front  of  Ileaupoit  to 
rejtel  the  expected  landinti'.  IJnt  while  in  tli  licet  of 
Saunders  all  was  uproar  and  ostentatious  m«  uace,  tbo 
danger  was  t"](  mil(>s  away,  where  tla?  s(|ua'lioi.  of 
Holmes  hiy  tran(|ull  and  silent  at  its  anchorage  off 
Cap-Rouge. 

It  was  less  tran(|uil  than  it  seemed.  AH  o!i  l)oard 
knew  that  a  blow  would  l)e  struck  that  niuht,  thouuh 
only  a  few  high  oilleors  knew  where.  Coloufd  IFowi ,,  of 
the  light  infantry,  called  for  volunteers  to  lead  the  un- 
known and  des])erate  venture,  promising,  in  the  woi'ds 
of  one  of  them,  "  that  if  any  of  us  survived  we  might 
depend  on  being  recommended  to  the  (hMieral."  As 
many  as  were  wanted — twenty -four  in  all  —  soon  came 
forward.  Thirty  large  bateaux  and  some  boats  belong- 
ing to  the  squadnm  lay  moored  alongside  the  vessels.; 
and  late  in  the  evening  the  troops  wei'e  ordered  into 
them,  the  twenty-four  volunteers  taking  their  place  in 
the  foremost.  Thev  held  in  all  about  seventeen  hundri'd 
men.     The  rest  remained  on  ])oard. 

Bougainville  could  discern  the  movement,  and  mis- 
judged it,  thinking  that  he  himself  was  to  be  attacked. 


n 


ssssBomass^ 


168 


QUEBEC. 


I 


I  ii 


The  tide  was  still  flowing;  ,md,  the  better  to  deceive 
him,  the  vessels  and  boats  were  allowed  to  drift  up- 
ward with  it  for  a  little  distance,  as  if  to  land  above 
Cap-Rouge. 

The  day  had  been  fortunate  for  Wolfe.  Two  desert- 
ers came  from  the  camp  of  Bougainville  with  intelli- 
gence that,  at  ebb  tide  on  the  next  night,  he  was  to 
send  down  a  convoy  of  i)rovisi()ns  to  Montcalm.  The 
necessities  of  the  camp  at  neau])ort,  and  the  difficul- 
ties of  transportation  by  land,  had  before  comi)elled  the 
French  to  resort  to  this  i)erilous  means  of  convevinu; 
supplies ;  and  their  boats,  drifting  in  dr.rkness  under 
the  shadows  of  the  northern  sliorc,  had  connnonly  })assed 
in  safety.  Wolfe  saw  at  once  that,  if  his  own  boats  went 
down  in  advance  of  the  convoy,  he  could  turn  the  in- 
telligence of  the  deserters  to  good  account. 

He  was  still  on  board  the  "  Sutherland."  Every 
preparation  was  made,  and  every  order  given  ;  it  only 
remained  to  wait  the  turning  of  the  tide.  Seated  with 
him  in  the  cabin  was  the  comuuinder  of  the  sloop-of-war 
"  Porcupine,"  his  former  school-fellow  John  Jervis,  af- 
terwards Earl  St.  Vincent.  Wolfe  told  him  that  he 
expected  to  die  in  the  battle  of  the  next  day ;  and 
taking  from  his  bosom  a  miniature  of  Miss  Lowther, 
his  betrothed,  he  gave  it  to  him  with  a  request  that  he 
would  return  it  to  her  if  the  presentiment  should  prove 
true. 

Towards  two  o'clock  the  tide  began  to  ebb,  and  a 
fresh  wind  blew  down  the  river.  Two  lanterns  were 
raised  into  the  mahitop  shrouds  of  the  "  Sutherland." 
It  was  the  appointed  signal ;  the  boats  cast  off  and 
fell  down  with  the  current,  those  of  the  light  infantry 
leading  the  wav.  The  vessels  with  the  rest  of  the 
troops  had  orders  to  follow  a  little  later. 


THE    HEIGHTS    OF    ABRAHAM. 


169 


lie 
and 
icr, 

ho 
rove 


To  look  for  a  moment  at  the  cluiuces  on  which  this 
bold  adventiire  hung.  First,  the  deserters  told  Wolto 
that  provision-boats  were  ordered  to  go  down  to  Quebec 
tiiat  night ;  secondly,  Bougainville  countermanded  them ; 
thirdly,  the  sentries  posted  ak  ng  the  heights  were  told 
of  the  order,  but  not  of  the  countermand ;  fourthly, 
Vergor  at  the  Ansc  du  Foulon  had  permitted  most  of 
his  men,  chiefly  Canadians  from  Lorettc,  to  go  home  for 
a  time  and  work  at  their  harvesting,  on  condition,  it  is 
said,  that  they  should  afterwards  work  in  a  neighl)oring 
field  of  his  own ;  fifthly,  he  kept  careless  watch,  and 
went  quietly  to  bed;  sixthly,  the  battalion  of  Guienne, 
ordered  to  take  post  on  the  Plains  of  Abraham,  had, 
for  reasons  unexplained,  i-emained  eiiL'ani})ed  by  the  ^St. 
Charles;  and  lastly,  when  Bougainville  saw  Holmes's 
vessels  drift  down  the  stream,  he  did  not  tax  his  weary 
troops  to  follow  them,  thinking  that  they  would  return 
as  usual  with  the  flood  tide.  But  for  these  conspiring 
circumstances  New  France  might  have  lived  a  little 
longer,  and  the  fruitless  heroism  of  Wolfe  Avould  have 
passed,  with  countless  other  heroisms,  into  oblivion. 

For  full  two  hours  the  j)rocession  of  boats,  borne  on 
the  current,  steered  silently  down  the  St.  Lawrence. 
The  stars  were  visible,  but  the  night  was  moonless 
and  sufliciently  dark.  The  (leneral  was  in  one  of 
the  foremost  boats,  and  near  him  was  a  young-  mid- 
shipman, John  Kobison,  afterwards  professor  of  natural 
philosophy  in  the  University  of  Edinburgh.  lie  used  to 
tell  in  his  later  life  how  Wolfe,  with  a  low  voice, 
repeated  Cray's  Elcf/i/  in  a  dniatrij  Church i/ani  to  the 
officers  about  him.  Probably  it  was  to  relii^ve  the  in- 
tense strain  of  his  thoughts.  Among  the  rest  was  the 
verse  which  his  own  fnte  was  soon  to  illustrate, — ■ 

"  The  paths  of  glory  lead  but  to  the  grave." 


170 


QUEBEC. 


"  Gentlemen,"  he  said,  as  his  recital  ended,  "  I  would 
rather  have  written  those  lines  than  take  Quebec." 
None  were  there  to  tell  him  that  the  hero  is  greater 
than  the  poet. 

As  thev  neared  their  destination,  the  tide  bore  them 
in  towards  the  shore,  and  the  mighty  wall  of  rock  and 
forest  towered  in  darkness  on  their  left.  The  dead 
stillness  was  suddenly  broken  by  the  sharp  Qui  vine  !  of 
a  French  sentry,  invisible  in  the  thick  gloom.  France! 
answered  a  Highland  officer  of  Fraser's  regiment  from 
one  of  the  boats  of  the  light  infantry.  He  had  served 
in  Holland,  and  s[)ol\:e  French  tluently. 

A  quel  regiment '"? 

Be  la  Rcine,  replied  the  Higldander.  Ho  knew  that 
a  part  of  that  corps  was  with  Bougainville.  The  sentry, 
expecting  the  convoy  of  provisions,  was  satisfied,  and 
did  not  ask  for  the  password. 

Soon  after,  the  foremost  boats  were  passing  tlie  heights 
of  Sanios,  when  another  sentry  challenged  them,  and 
the}^  could  see  him  through  the  darkness  running  down 
to  the  edge  of  the  water,  within  range  of  a  pistol-shot. 
In  answer  to  his  questions,  the  same  ollicer  replied,  in 
French :  "  Provision-boats.  Don't  make  a  noise  ;  the 
English  will  hear  us."  In  fact,  the  sloo})-of-war 
"Hunter"  was  anchored  in  the  stream  not  far  off. 
This  -time,  again,  the  sentry  let  them  pass.  In  a  few 
moments  they  rounded  the  headland  above  the  Anse  du 
Foulon.  Thei'c  Avas  no  sentry  there.  The  strong  cur- 
rent swe])t  the  boats  of  the  light  infantry  a  little  below 
the  intended  landing-place.  They  disembarked  on  a 
narrow  strand  at  the  foot  of  heights  as  steep  as  a  hill 
cov(>red  with  trees  can  be.  The  twenty-four  volunteers 
led  the  way,  climbing  with  what  silence  they  might, 
closely  followed   by  a  much  larger  body.     When  they 


THE  HEIGHTS  of  Abraham. 


171 


off. 

f(.'NV 

k  du 
cur- 

lelow 

>ii  a 

hill 

Itccrs 

[iti-lit, 
1  they 


roticlicd  the  top  they  saw  in  the  dim  light  a  cluster  of 
tents  at  a  short  distance,  and  immediately  made  a  dash 
at  them.  A'ergor  leaped  from  bed  and  tried  to  run  off, 
but  was  shot  in  the  heel  and  captured.  Ilis  men,  taivi^i 
))y  surprise,  made  little  resistance.  One  or  two  wore 
caught,  and  the  resi  tied. 

The  main  body  of  troops  waited  in  tlieir  boats  by  the 
edge  of  the  strand.  The  heiglits  near  by  were  cleft  ])y 
a  great  ravine  choked  with  forest  trees;  and  in  its 
deptlis  ran  a  little  bi'ook  ceiled  Ruisseau  .St.-J)enis, 
which,  swollen  by  the  late  rains,  fell  plashing  in  tlio 
stillness  over  a  rock.  Other  tlian  this  no  sound  could 
reach  the  strained  ear  of  Wolfe  hut  tiie  gurgle  of  the 
tide  and  the  cautious  climbing  of  iiis  advance-parties  us 
they  mounted  the  steeps  at  some  little  distance  from 
where  he  sat  listening.  At  length  from  the  toj)  camc^ 
a  sound  of  musket-shots,  followed  by  loud  huzzas,  and 
he  knew  that  his  men  were  masters  of  the  posit ii)n. 
Tiie  woi'd  was  given  ;  the  troo])S  leaped  from  the  boats 
and  scaled  the  heiglits,  some  here,  some  there,  clutching 
at  trees  and  bushes,  their  nuiskets  slung  at  their  backs. 
Tradition  still  points  out  the  i)lace,  near  the  mouth  of 
the  ravine,  where  tlic  forinnost  reached  the  top.  Wolfe 
said  to  an  officer  near  him :  "  You  can  try  it,  but  1  don't 
think  you'll  get  up."  He  himself,  however,  found 
strength  to  drag  himself  up  with  the  rest.  The  nai-row 
slanting  path  on  the  face  of  the  I;  'ights  had  been  made 
impassable  by  trenches  and  abatis;  but  all  obstruciions 
were  soon  cleared  away,  and  then  the  ascent  was  easy. 
In  the  gray  of  the  morning  the  long  fdc  of  red-coated 
soldiers  moved  (piickly  upward,  and  formed  in  order 
on  the  })lateau  above. 

Before  many  of  them   had   reac'hed  the  top,  cannon 
were  heard  close  on  the  left.     It  was  the  battery  at 


172 


QUEBEC. 


Pamos  firing  on  flic  boats  in  the  rear  and  liic  vessels 
descciuliug  from  Cap-Rouge.  A  party  was  sent  to 
silence  it ;  this  was  soon  effected,  and  the  more  distant 
battery  at  Sillery  was  next  attacked  and  taken.  As  fast 
as  the  boats  were  emptied  they  returned  for  the  troops 
left  on  board  the  vessels  and  for  those  waiting  on  the 
southern  shore  under  Colonel  Burton. 

The  day  broke  in  clouds  and  threatening  rain. 
Wolfe's  battalions  were  drawn  u\)  along  the  crest  of  the 
heights.  No  enemy  was  in  sight,  thougii  a  body  of 
Canadians  had  sallied  from  the  town  and  moved  along 
the  strand  towards  the  landing-place,  whence  they  were 
quickly  driven  back,  lie  had  achieved  the  most  critical 
part  of  his  enterprise ;  yet  the  success  that  he  coveted 
l)laced  him  in  imminent  danger.  On  one  side  was  the 
garrison  of  Quebec  and  the  army  of  Beau  port,  and 
Bougainville  was  on  the  other.  Wolfe's  alteri:  tive 
was  victory  or  ruin ;  for  if  he  should  be  overwhelmed 
by  a  coml'ned  attack,  retreat  would  be  hopeless. 
Ilis  feelings  no  man  can  know;  but  it  would  be 
safe  to  say  that  hesitation  or  doubt  had  no  part  in 
them. 

He  went  to  reconnoitre  the  ground,  and  soon  came 
to  the  Plains  of  Abraham,  so  called  from  Abraham 
Martin,  a  pilot  known  as  Maitre  Abraham,  who  had 
owned  a  piece  of  land  here  in  the  early  times  of  the 
colony.  The  Plains  were  a  tract  of  grass,  tolerably 
level  in  most  parts,  patched  hero  and  there  with  corn- 
fields, studded  with  clumps  of  bushes,  and  forming  a 
part  of  the  high  plateau  at  the  eastern  end  t)f  which 
Quebec  stood.  On  the  south  it  was  bounded  by  the 
declivities  along  the  St.  Lawrence ;  on  the  north,  by 
those  along  the  St.  Charles,  or  rather  along  the  mead- 
ows  through    which    that  lazy    stream    crawled  like  a 


THE    HEIGHTS    OF   ABRAHAM. 


173 


imc 


jni- 

g  a 

lich 

the 

by 

ad- 

c  a 


writhing  snake.  At  the  phice  that  Wolfe  chose  for 
his  battle-licld  the  phitcaii  was  less  than  a  mile 
wide. 

Thither  the  troops  advanced,  marched  by  files  till 
they  reached  the  ground,  nnd  then  wheeled  to  form  their 
line  of  battle,  which  stretched  across  the  plateau  and 
faced  the  city.  It  consisted  of  six  l)attalions  and  the 
detached  grenadiers  from  Louisbourg,  all  drawn  up  in 
ranks  three  deep.  Its  right  wing  was  near  the  brink 
of  the  heights  along  the  St.  Lawrence ;  but  the  left 
could  not  reach  those  along  the  St.  Charles.  On  this 
side  a  wide  space  was  perforce  left  open,  and  there  was 
danger  of  being  outflanked.  To  prevent  this,  Brigadier 
Townshend  was  stationed  here  with  two  battalions, 
drawn  up  at  right  angles  with  the  rest,  and  fronting  tlie 
St.  Charles.  The  battalion  of  Wel)b's  regiment,  under 
Colonel  Burton,  formed  the  reserve ;  the  third  battalion 
of  Royal  Americans  was  left  to  guard  the  landing ;  and 
Howe's  light  infantry  occu})ied  a  wood  far  in  the  rear. 
Wolfe,  with  Monckton  and  Murray,  commanded  the 
front  line,  on  which  the  heavy  fighting  was  to  fall,  and 
which,  when  all  the  troops  had  arrived,  numbered  less 
than  thirty-five  hundred  men. 

Quebec  was  not  a  mile  distant,  but  they  could  not 
see  it ;  for  a  ridge  of  broken  ground  intervened,  called 
Buttes4-Neveu,  about  six  hundred  paces  off.  The  first 
division  of  troops  had  scarcely  come  up  when,  about  six 
o'clock,  this  ridge  was  suddenly  thronged  with  white 
uniforms.  It  was  the  battalion  of  Guienne,  arrived  at 
the  eleventh  hour  from  its  camp  by  the  St.  Charles. 
Some  time  after  there  was  hot  firing  in  the  rear.  It 
came  from  a  detachment  of  Bougainville's  command 
attacking  a  house  where  some  of  the  light  infantry  were 
posted.    The  assailants  were  repulsed,  and   the   firing 


■1 

I      It 


174 


QUEBEC. 


ceased.  Li<rlit  showers  fell  at  intervals,  besprinkling 
the  troojis  as  tliey  stood  patiently  waiting  the  event. 

Montcalm  had  passed  a  troubUnl  night.  Tlirough  all 
the  evening  the  cnnnjn  bellowed  from  the  ships  of 
Haunders,  and  the  boats  of  the  fleet  hovered  in  the  dusk 
off  the  Beauport  shore,  threatening  every  moment  to 
land.  Troops  lined  tlie  intreuehmeiits  till  day,  while 
the  General  walked  the  field  that  adjoined  his  head- 
(piarters  till  one  in  the  morning,  aecomi)anied  by  the 
Chevalier  Johnstone  and  Colonel  Pouhirlez.  Johnstone 
says  that  he  was  in  great  agitation,  and  took  no  rest 
all  night.  At  daybreak  he  heard  the  sound  of  cannon 
above  the  town.  It  was  tliC  battery  at  Samos  firing  on 
the  p]nglish  shii)S.  He  had  sent  an  oCficer  to  the  quarters 
of  A^audreuil,  which  were  much  nearer  Quebec,  with 
orders  to  bring  liim  word  at  once  should  anything 
unusual  ha})i)en.  But  no  word  came,  and  about  six 
o'clock  he  mounted  and  rode  thither  with  Johnstone. 
As  they  advanced,  the  country  behind  the  town  opened 
more  and  more  upon  their  sight;  till  at  length,  when 
0])posito  Vaudreuirs  house,  they  saw  across  the  St. 
Charles,  some  two  miles  away,  the  red  ranks  of  British 
soldiers  on  the  heights  beyond. 

"This  is  a  serious  business,"  ^fontcalm  said  ;  and 
sent  off  Johnstone  at  full  gallop  to  bring  uj)  the  troops 
from  the  centre  and  left  of  the  camp.  Those  of  the 
right  were  in  motion  already,  doubtless  by  the  (jlovernor's 
order.  Vaudreuil  came  out  of  the  house.  Montcalm 
stopped  for  a  few  words  with  him  ;  then  set  spurs  to 
his  horse,  and  rode  over  the  bridge  of  the  St.  Charles  to 
the  scene  of  danger.  He  rode  with  a  fixed  look,  uttering 
not  a  word. 

The  army  followed  in  such  order  as  it  miglit,  crossed 
the  bridge  in  hot  haste,  passed  under  the  northern  ram- 


THE    HEIGHTS    OF    ABRAHAM. 


to 


or's 
aim 
to 
Is  to 


I'lng 


5SC(1 

fam- 


part  of  Quoboc,  entered  at  the  Pnlaee  flute,  and  pressed 
on  in  headlong  march  ah.)ng  the  quaint  narrow  streets 
of  th(;  u'arllke  town  :  troops  of  Intlians  in  sealploeks  and 
war-paint,  a  savage  glitter  in  their  deejwset  eyes  ;  l)ands 


of  Canadians  whose  all  was  at  stak 


aith,  country 


and  h.oniG  ;  the  colony  regulars;  the  l)attalions  of  Old 
France,  a  torrent  of  white  nnifornis  and  glenniing  bayo- 
nets, La  Sarre,  Langucdoc,  Roussillon,  IJuarn,  —  victors 
of  Oswe<j;o,  William  llenrv,  aud  Ticonderoga.     So  thev 


th 


)h 


by  the  gate 


swejit  on.  poured  out  npon  the  piam,  some  uy  me 
of  St.  Louis,  and  some  by  that  of  St  John,  and  hurried, 
breathhjss,  to  where  the  banners  of  (luiennc  still  lluttei'cd 
on  the  ridge. 

Montcalm  was  amazed  at  what  he  saw.  lie  had 
expected  a  detachment,  and  he  found  an  army.  Full  in 
sight  before  him  stretched  the  lines  of  Wolfe  :  the  close 
ranks  of  the  English  infantry,  a  silent  wall  of  red,  and 
the  wild  array  of  the  Highlanders,  with  their  waving 
tartans,  and  bagpipes  screaming  defiance.  Vaudreuil 
had  not  come ;  but  not  the  less  was  felt  the  evil  of  a 
divided  authority  and  the  jealousy  of  the  rival  chiefs. 
Montcalm  waited  long  for  the  forces  he  had  ordered  to 
join  him  from  the  left  wing  of  the  army.  He  Maited  in 
vain.  It  is  said  that  the  Governor  had  detained  them, 
lest  the  English  should  attack  the  Beauport  shore.  Even 
if  they  did  so,  and  succeeded,  the  French  might  defy 
them,  could  they  but  put  Wolfe  to  rout  on  the  Plains  of 
Abraham.  Neither  did  the  garrison  of  Quebec  come  to 
the  aid  of  Montcalm.  He  sent  to  Ramesay,  its  com- 
mander, for  twenty-five  field-pieces  which  were  on  the 
Palace  battery.  Ramesay  would  give  him  only  three,  say- 
ing that  he  wanted  them  for  his  own  defence.  There 
were  orders  and  counter-orders ;  misunderstanding,  haste, 
delay,  perplexity. 


B 


176 


QUEBEC. 


Montcjilm  and  his  cliiff  oflllcers  held  a  council  of  war. 
It  is  said  tliat  he  and  they  alike  were  for  immediate 
attack.  Ilis  enemies  declare  that  he  was  afraid  lest 
A^andrcuil  should  arrive  and  take  command  ;  hut  the 
Govei'iior  was  not  a  man  to  assume  resixmsibility  at 
such?!",  crisis.  Others  say  that  his  impetuosity  over- 
came his  better  judgment  ;  and  of  this  charge  it  is  hard 
to  ac([uit  him.  IJougainville  was  but  a  few  miles  dis- 
tant, and  some  of  his  troo])S  were  nnich  nearer  ;  a  mes- 
senger sent  by  way  of  Old  Lorette  could  have  reacluMi 
him  in  an  hour  and  a  half  at  most,  and  a  combined 
attack  in  front  and  rear  might  have  ])cen  concoi-ted  with 
him.  If,  moreover,  jVrontcalm  could  have  come  to  an 
understanding  with  Vaudreuil,  his  own  force  might 
luivc  been  strengthened  by  two  or  three  thousand  addi- 
tional men  from  the  town  and  the  camp  of  Bcauport ; 
but  he  felt  that  there  was  no  time  to  lose,  for  he  imag- 
ined that  Wolfe  would  soon  be  reinforced,  which  was 
impossible,  and  he  believed  that  the  English  were  forti- 
fying themselves,  which  was  no  less  an  error.  lie  has 
been  blamed  not  onlv  for  fiirhting  too  soon,  but  for 
fighting  at  all.  In  this  he  could  not  choose.  Fight  he 
must,  for  Wolfe  was  now  in  a  jiosition  to  cut  off  all  his 
supplies.  His  men  were  full  of  ardor,  and  he  resolved 
to  attack  before  their  ardor  cooled.  He  spoke  a  few 
words  to  them  in  his  keen,  vehement  way.  "  I  remem- 
ber very  well  hoAV  he  looked,"  one  of  the  Canadians, 
then  a  boy  of  eighteen,  used  to  say  in  his  old  age  ;  '*  he 
rode  a  black  or  dark  bay  horse  along  the  front  of  our 
lines,  brandishing  his  sword,  as  if  to  excite  us  to  do  our 
duty.  He  wore  a  coat  with  wide  sleeves,  which  fell 
back  as  he  raised  his  arm,  and  showed  the  white  linen 
of  the  wristband." 

The  English  waited  the  result  with  a  composure  which, 


THE   nEIGIITS    OF   ABRAHAM. 


177 


if  not  quite  real,  was  at  least  well  feigned.  The  three 
field-pieces  sent  by  Ramcsay  plied  them  with  canister- 
shot,  and  fifteen  hundred  Canadians  and  Indians  fusil- 
laded them  in  front  and  flank.  Over  all  the  plain,  from 
behind  bushes  and  knolls  and  the  edge  of  cornfields,  jiuffs 
of  smoke  sprang  incessantly  from  the  guns  of  these  hid- 
den marksmen.  Skirmishers  were  thrown  out  before 
the  lines  to  hold  them  in  check,  and  the  soldiers  were 
ordered  to  lie  on  tlic  grass  to  avoid  the  shot.  The  firing 
was  liveliest  on  the  English  left,  where  bands  of  sharp- 
shooters got  under  the  edge  of  the  declivity,  among 
thickets,  and  behind  scattered  houses,  whence  they 
killed  and  wounded  a  considerable  number  of  Towns- 
hend's  men.  The  light  infantry  were  called  up  from 
the  rear.  The  houses  were  taken  and  retaken,  and  one 
or  more  of  them  was  burned. 

"Wolfe  w^as  everywhere.  How  cool  he  was,  and  why 
his  followers  loved  him,  is  shown  by  an  incident  that 
happened  in  the  course  of  the  morning.  One  of  his 
captains  was  shot  through  the  lungs;  and  on  recovering 
consciousness  he  saw  the  General  standing  at  his  side. 
Wolfe  pressed  his  hand,  told  him  not  to  despair,  praised 
his  services,  promised  him  early  promotion,  and  sent  an 
aide-de-camp  to  Monckton  to  beg  that  officer  to  keep  the 
promise  if  he  himself  should  fall. 

It  was  towards  ten  o'clock  when,  from  the  high 
ground  on  the  right  of  the  line,  Wolfe  saw  that  the 
crisis  was  near.  The  French  on  the  ridge  had  formed 
themselves  into  three  bodies,  regulars  in  the  centre, 
regulars  and  Canadians  on  right  and  loft.  Two  field- 
pieces,  whicli  had  been  dragged  up  the  heights  at  Anse 
du  Foulon,  fired  on  them  with  grape-shot,  and  the  troops, 
rising  from  the  ground,  prepared  to  receive  them.     In 

a  few  moments  more  they  were  in  motion.    They  came 

12 


!      i- 


r 


J 


n 


178 


QUEBEC. 


on  raj)idly,  uttering  loud  shouts,  and  firing  as  soon  as 
they  were  within  range.  Their  ranks,  ill  ordered  at  the 
best,  were  I'urtlier  confused  by  a  number  of  Canadians 
wlio  had  been  mixed  among  the  reguhirs,  and  who,  after 
hastily  firing,  throw  themselves  on  the  ground  to  reload. 
The  British  advaneed  a  few  rods  ;  then  halted  and  stood 
still.  When  the  French  were  within  forty  paces  the 
w^ord  of  command  rang  out,  and  a  crash  of  musketry 
answered  all  along  the  line.  The  volley  was  delivered 
with  remarkable  precision.  In  the  battalions  of  the 
centre,  which  had  suffered  least  from  the  enemy's  bul- 
lets, the  simultaneous  explosion  was  afterwards  said  by 
French  ofliccrs  to  have  sounded  like  a  cannon-shot. 
Another  volley  followed,  and  tlion  a  furious  clattering 
fire  that  lasted  but  a  minute  or  two.  When  the  smoke 
rose,  a  miserable  sight  was  revealed :  the  ground  cum- 
bered with  dead  and  wounded,  the  advancing  masses 
8toj)ped  short  and  turned  into  a  frantic  mob,  sliouting, 
cursing,  gesticulating.  The  order  was  given  to  charge. 
Then  over  the  field  rose  the  British  cheer,  mixed  with 
the  fierce  yell  of  the  Highland  slogan.  Some  of  the 
corps  i)ushed  forward  with  the  bayonet ;  some  advanced 
fii'ing.  The  clansmen  drew  their  broadswords  and 
dashed  on,  keen  and  swift  as  bloodhounds.  At  the 
English  right,  though  the  attacking  column  was  broken 
to  i)icces,  a  fire  was  still  kept  up,  chiefly,  it  seems,  by 
shari)shooters  from  the  bushes  and  cornfields,  where 
they  had  lain  for  an  hour  or  more.  Here  Wolfe  him- 
self led  the  charge,  at  the  head  of  the  Louisbourg  gren- 
adiers. A  shot  shattered  his  wrist.  He  wrapped  his 
handkerchief  about  it  and  kept  on.  Another  shot  struck 
him,  and  he  still  advanced,  when  a  third  lodged  in  his 
breast.  lie  staggered,  and  sat  on  the  ground.  Lieu- 
tenant Brown,  of  the  grenadiers,  one  Henderson,  a  vol- 


THE   HEIGHTS   OF   ABRAHAM. 


179 


with 

tlic 
meed 

and 

the 

•okcii 

lis,  by 

Ivhero 

him- 
Igreii- 
his 
Itriick 
In  his 
I  Lieu- 
vol- 


unteer in  the  same  company,  and  a  private  Hoklier,  aided 
\>y  an  ollicer  of  artillery  who  ran  to  join  them,  carried 
him  in  their  arms  to  the  rear.  He  begged  them  to  lay 
liim  down.  They  did  so,  and  asked  it  he  woukl  have  a 
surgeon.  "There's  no  need,"  he  answered;  "■it's  all 
over  with  me."  A  moment  after,  one  of  tliem  cried 
out :  "  They  run ;  see  how  they  run  ! "  "  Who  run '{ " 
Wolfe  denuinded,  like  a  man  roused  fiom  sleep.  "The 
enemy,  sir.  Kgad,  they  give  way  ever;  where  ! "  '*  Go, 
one  of  you,  to  Colonel  Burton,"  returiied  tiie  dying  man  ; 
"  tell  him  to  march  Weljb's  regiment  down  to  Charles 
River,  to  cut  off  tlielr  retreat  from  the  l)ridge."  Then, 
turning  on  his  side,  he  murmured,  "  Now,  God  be  praised, 
1  will  die  in  peace!"  and  in  a  few  moments  his  gallant 
soul  had  fled. 

Montcahn,  still  on  horseback,  was  borne  with  the  tide 
of  fugitives  towards  the  town.  As  he  approaclied  the 
walls  a  shot  passed  through  his  body.  He  kei)t  his  seat ; 
two  soldiers  supported  him,  one  on  each  side,  and  led 
his  horse  through  the  St.  Louis  Gate.  On  the  open 
space  within,  among  the  excited  crowd,  were  several 
women,  drawn,  no  doubt,  by  eagerness  to  know  the 
result  of  the  fight.  One  of  them  recognized  him, 
saw  the  streaming  blood,  and  shrieked,  "  0  mon  Bieit! 
mon  Dieu!  Ic  3Iarquis  est  tue!'^  "It's  nothing,  it's 
nothing,"  replied  the  death-stricken  mnn  ;  "  don't  bo 
troubled  for  me,  my  good  friends."  ("  Ce  rCest  ricn^  ce 
7i'est  rien ;  ne  vous  ajjfif/cz  |5as  pour  moiy  mes  bonnes 
amies"^ 

Some  of  the  fugitives  took  refuge  in  the  city  and 
others  escaped  across  the  St.  Charles.  In  the  next 
night  the  French  army  abandoned  Quebec  to  its  fate 
and  fled  up  the  St.  Lawrence.    The  city  soon  surrcn- 


m 


180 


QUEBEC. 


dcrcd  to  Wolfe's  successor,  Brigadier  Townshend,  and 
the  English  held  it  during  the  winter.  In  April,  the 
French  under  the  Chevalier  do  Levis  made  a  bold  but 
unsuccessful  attempt  to  retake  it.  In  the  following 
summer,  Cioneral  Amherst  advanced  on  Montreal,  till 
in  September  all  Canada  was  forced  to  surrender,  and 
the  power  of  France  was  extinguished  on  the  North 
American  continent. 


I''  ! 


University  Press:  John  Wilson  &  Son,  Cambridge 


FEANCIS  PAKKMANS  NEW  WOEK. 


MONTCALM   AND   WOLFE. 

Illustrated  with  Two  Popfpalts  and  Nine  Maps. 

Two«„l..    Sv.-    Cloth,  »li.001  l,.lfc«r,»o.oo. 


rnUIS  new  and  nnportant  work  by  Francis  Parkman  is 
-L      I  art  .Sovenf.  of  the  scries  of  liistorical    narratives, 
I' ranee  and   h„.    .„,!    in   North   A.neriea."    The  period 
covered  l,y  tl,e  narrative  is  17-18  to  1703 

,.reraol'°''''r'V"  ""^  ""'""""''"   ^'''^'^   "■"  -"«""•   ■•■>  hi« 
preface,  "  stand  as  representative  of  the  two  nations  whose 

flna.  con^st  for  the  eoatro,  of  Xorth  America  is  the  sn„j 
of  tie  hook.     Averyla,-ge  amount  of  ,n,pnl,lished  mafrial 

pait     of  docnments  copied  from  the   archives  a.,d  libraries 
or  France  an,l  K„g|a„d.  .  .  .  Great  numbers  of  nu to" ^1 1 
k  ters,  d,ar,es,  and  other  writings  of  persons  engage     hth 
war,  have  also  been  examined  on  this  side  of  the  A  a    i" 

I  ..rkmau  has  had  access  to  all  the  letters  written  by  G™era 
Montcalm  wheu  in  America  to  members  of  his  fam  h    in 
France,  also  correspondence  with  one  of  his  chief  I^r 
Bourlamaque  with  whom  he  was  on  terms  of  intimac,    wWch 
f»m    says  the  author,  "an  interesting  complemen    t^ 
ofteml  correspondence  of  the  writer,  and   tLw  the  mo,I 

Mr    1  a  kman  has  also  examined  a  great  deal  of  printed 
mtter  m  the  form  of  books,  pamphlets,  and  other  p!,bUca 
tions  rel.at.ng  to  the  American  part  of  the  Seven  Yearn  War. 

(I) 


TPTll 


II 


11 


i! 


M 


*'  The  whole  of  this  published  and  unpublished  mass  of  evi- 
dence," he  states,  ''  has  been  read  and  collated  with  extreme 
care,  and  more  than  common  pains  have  been  taken  to  secure 
accuracy  of  statement.  The  study  of  books  and  papers, 
however,  could  not  alone  answer  the  purpose.  The  plan  of 
the  work  was  formed  in  early  youth;  and  though  various 
causes  have  long  delayed  its  execution,  it  has  always  been 
kept  in  view.  Meanwhile  I  have  visited  and  examined  every 
spot  where  events  of  any  importance  in  connection  with  the 
contest  took  place,  and  have  observed  with  attention  such 
scenes  and  persons  as  might  help  to  illustrate  those  I  meant 
to  describe.  In  short,  the  subject  has  been  studied  as  much 
from  life  and  in  the  open  air  as  at  the  librar}'  table." 

London  Athenaeum. 

"  The  reflections  with  which  Mr.  Parkman  closes  his  narrative 
are  as  striking  as  the  narrative  itself.  We  have  not  space  to  quote 
them  at  length,  and  they  do  not  admit  of  condensation.  It  is 
sufficient  to  note  their  value,  and  to  expres".  the  hope  that  the 
readers  of  these  volumes  will  pay  due  heed  to  them. 

*'  We  need  not  add  anything  in  commendation  of  the  work  as  a 
whole,  having  already  indicated  our  opinion  with  perfect  clearness. 
It  not  only  confirms  tlie  view  we  have  previously  expr  '-sed,  that 
Mr.  Parkman  ranks  amongst  the  best  historical  writers  of  his 
country,  but  justifies  the  addition  that  his  place  is  alongside  of  the 
greatest  historians  whose  works  are  English  classics." 

Kew  Tork  Nation. 

"  We  have  left  ourselves  no  room  to  speak  of  the  principal  subject 
of  the  book,  the  capture  of  Quebec  by  Wolfe;  but  it  is  enough  to 
say  that  it  is  narrated  with  that  brilliancy  and  picturesqueness  of 
style  of  which  Mr.  Parkman  is  master.  In  short,  we  have  here  a 
book  which  will  take  its  place  as  a  masterpiece  in  military  history, 
—  the  best  account  of  the  most  important  war  in  our  colonial 
period." 

London   Spectator. 

"  Incomparably  the  best-written  and  most  trustworthy  account 
of  the  American  period  with  which  it  deals.  .  .  .  The  romance  of 
war  which  culminated  on  the  Plains  of  Abraham  has  been  told 
a  hundred  times,  but  it  has  never  been  told  so  well  as  by  Mr. 

(2) 


ject 

;hto 

tss  of 

lere  a 

tory, 

nial 


punt 
Ice  of 

told 
Mr. 


Parkman.  Greater  praise  than  this  it  would  hardly  be  possible, 
less  it  would  certainly  be  unfair,  to  give.  ...  It  is  with  reluc- 
tance that  we  refrain  from  giving  some  of  Mr.  Parkman's  battle- 
pieces.  We  must  content  ourselves  with  saying  that  his  accounts 
of  the  battle  on  the  Plains  of  Abraham,  the  storming  of  Ticon- 
deroga,  and  the  rout  of  Braddock,  are  at  least  equal  to  any  writing 
of  the  kind  that  has  appeared  of  late  years." 

Boston  Daily   Advertiser. 

"  As  a  master  of  picturesque  description,  he  easily  stands  at  the 
head  of  oui  historians." 

London   Saturday  Reviei^, 

"  Mr.  Parkman's  last  book  will  add  to  the  high  reputation  he  has 
already  earned.  .  .  .  Full  of  interest,  both  as  regards,  their  details 
and  their  issues,  the  events  of  the  final  struggle  of  France  and 
England  for  the  control  of  North  America  could  not  have  found 
an  historian  more  fitted  for  his  task." 

Christian  Advocate. 

'•Francis  Parkman  is  easily  the  first  of  living  American  histo- 
rians. A  master  of  picturesque  narration,  he  is  as  careful  of 
truth  as  the  most  dry  and  exact  chronicler.  There  is  a  quality 
of  poetical  fascination  which  adds  to  the  vigor  and  pointedness 
of  his  description.  .  .  .  The  result  is  a  masterpiece.  .  .  .  More 
interesting  pages  we  have  never  read.  .  .  .  We  can  only  com- 
mend it  as  indispensable  to  the  library  of  the  scholar,  and  as 
certain  to  command  the  interest  and  excite  the  admiration  of  all 
who  read  it" 

Macmillan's  Magazine. 

"  It  is  only  now  that  we  find  ourselves  in  possession  of  an 
authentic,  full,  sustained,  and  worthy  narrative  of  those  momen- 
tous events  and  extraordinary  men.  It  has  been  reserved  for  an 
American  writer  to  raise  to  them  a  historic  memorial  in  a  spirit 
and  on  a  scale  that  befits  their  greatness." 

Literary   World. 

"  It  is  to  studies  from  life,  actual  visits  to  the  scenes  of  those 
important  events,  long  tramps  along  the  routes  taken  by  rangers 
and  scouts,  to  the  exercise  of  vigilant  powers  of  observation,  sup- 
plementing the  most  careful  research  and  investigation,  that  we 
owe  the  possibility  of  such  historical  writing  as  these  two  volumes 
contain." 

(3) 


>' 

* 


Professor  Ooldwin   Smith,  in  Toronto   Week. 

*'  All  must  allow  that  it  unites  in  the  highest  degree  skill  in 
narration  and  brilliancy  of  description  with  the  fruits  of  consci- 
entious research." 

The   Critic. 

♦'  Parkman's  studies  of  North  American  history  have  already 
given  him  a  first  place  among  living  historians.  His  books  are 
intensely  interesting,  and  they  are  marked  by  a  true  historic 
judgment." 

The  Scotsman. 

"  His  narrative  style  is  clear  and  vivacious,  and  he  shows  unmis- 
takable power  of  description  and  characterization.  His  portrait- 
ures of  the  prominent  personages  in  the  drama  he  narrates  have 
all  the  sharpness,  defiuiteness,  and  minuteuess  of  photography." 

Nevr  Tork  Tribune. 

•'He  has  presented  a  wealth  of  new  information  with  startling 
freshness  and  realism." 

Boston  Transcript 

"  He  has  so  distinguished  himself  in  the  unique  interest  of  his 
theme  and  the  combination  of  extraordinary  individual  talents 
and  genius  in  dealing  with  it,  as  to  lift  and  isolate  him  out  of 
any  class  of  such  writers,  and  to  give  him  a  solitary  place  and 


eminence.' 


New  Tork  Sun. 


*'  In  '  Montcalm  and  Wolfe '  the  author  has  discerned  his  oppor- 
tunity ;  and  all  the  admirable  qualities,  the  industry  and  the 
learning,  the  literary  training  and  expertness,  which  give  charm 
and  value  to  his  earlier  narratives,  have  been  concentrated  with 
augmented  energy  and  rare  felicity." 

The  London  World. 


it 


Were  its  failings  far  greater  and  its  merits  far  less  than  they 
are,  every  right-minded  reader  would  still  take  it  to  his  heart,  if 
not  to  his  shelves.  For  it  is  a  hook;  and  to  meet  with  such  a 
phenomenon  among  the  mass  of  printed  phantoms  that  usurp  that 
honorable  name  to-day  is  a  pleasure  indeed." 


(4) 


PARKMAN'S  WORKS. 


THE  WORKS  OF  FRANCIS  PARKMAN. 

Octavo  Edition.     10  Vols.,  isclcdino:- 

THE  CONSPIRACT  OP  PONTIAC.    2  vols. 
THE  OREOON  TRAIL.    1  vol. 

PRANCE    AND     ENGLAND    IN    NORTH     AMERICA. 

7  vols.,  VIZ. :  — 

PIONEERS  OF  FRAXCE  IN  THE  NEW   WORLD 

THE  JESUITS   IN  NORTH  AMERICA. 

LA  SALLE  AND   THE  DISCOVERY  OF  THE  GREAT  WFST 

THE  OLD  Rl^GIME  IN  CANADA. 

COUNT  FRONTENAC  AND  NEW   FRANCE 

MONTCALM  AND  WOLFE.    2  vols. 


l>Hee  ^erset  ^f ^o^,  e^ot,.,  ^.,.00  ;   Ualf  calf,  ^,,00  ; 
full  polished  eaff^  975.00. 


Blackwood's  Magazine. 

"Mr.  Parkman,  who,  if  Mv.  Bancroft  will  forgive  us  fnr  «o,- 

so,  ,s  the  most  eminent  American  historian  now  aHvo,  !         ''"'' 

Magazine  of  American  History. 

JtJ^r  ''  "'^  ^'"'"''"  ^'"^'''  ^'^'"ff  ^h^se  works  are  Jooked  for 

numbe'ltthose     f  m7p"/'''  ^'"^^^  '^'^  ^"^^^^^  ^ 

the  incidents  he  describes  with  an  interest  which  never  flag!  » 

(5) 


International  Review^. 

**  Indeed,  this  quality  of  poetical  fascination  always  appears  in 
Mr.  Parkman's  writings,  and  invests  them  with  a  charm  which 
belongs  to  fictions  of  the  imagination,  but  this  does  not  at  all 
impair  his  volumes  as  truthful  and  sober  historical  narratives. 
His  style  is  perfect  for  its  purpose." 


THE  PIONEEBS  OF  FRANCE  IN  THE  NEW  WOBLD. 

d.  Huguenots  in  Florida,   n.  Samuel  de  Champlain.) 
8vo.   Cloth,  $2.50;  haP  calf,  $4.60. 

New  York  Tribune. 

"  In  vigor  and  pointedness  of  description,  Mr.  Parkman  may  be 
counted  superior  to  Irving." 

" "    ■  ■    * 

New  York  "World. 

"  It  is  a  narrative  which  has  all  the  animation,  variety,  and 
interest  of  a  romance,  and  to  most  readers  it  will  be  as  fresh 
and  novel  as  a  pure  creation  of  the  imaginative  faculty." 

Boston  Transcript. 

"In  interest  this  work  exceeds  any  novel  which  has  been  pub- 
lished during  the  year.  Every  page  bears  unmistakable  impress  of 
power, — power  of  patient  investigation,  power  of  dramatic  concep- 
tion, power  of  philosophic  thought,  power  of  pictorial  diction." 

Providence  (R.  I.)  Press. 

"  One  of  the  very  finest  contributions  to  the  historical  literature 
of  this  country." 

THE  JESUITS  IN  NOBTH  AMERICA  IN  THE  SEVENTEENTH 

CENTUEY. 

8vo.   Cloth,  $2.50;  half  calf,  $4.50. 

Atlantic  Monthly. 

"  We  feel  that  he  is  for  us  a  faithful  and  competent  interpreter 
and  commentator  of  Indian  life,  manners,  superstitions,  and  for- 
tunes. He  has  a  marvellous  skill  in  observing  and  describing  the 
phenomena  of  nature,  —  the  features  and  scenes  of  the  wilderness 
amid  which  they  roved.  We  know  of  no  writer  whose  pages  are 
so  real  and  vivid  in  qualities  harmonizing  with  his  theme  as  are 
his." 

(6) 


reter 

for- 

the 

I'liesa 
are 
are 


Boston  Pilot. 

"  Parkman's  work  is  as  Lascinating  as  the  best  of  Scott's  novels. 
Once  commenced,  you  cannot  lay  the  book  down:  you  will  read 
every  line  of  it."  

LA  SALLE  AND  THE  DISCOVEBT  OF  THE  GREAT  WEST. 
8vo.   Cloth,  $2.50 ;  half  calf ,  $4.50. 

This  volume  embodies  the  exploits  and  adventures  of  the  first 
European  explorers  of  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi;  the  efforts  of 
the  French  to  secure  the  whole  interior  of  the  continent;  the 
attempt  of  La  Salle  to  find  a  westward  passage  to  India;  his 
colony  on  the  Illinois;  his  scheme  of  invading  Mexico;  his  contest 
with  the  Jesuits,  and  his  assassination  by  his  own  followers.  The 
narrative  is  founded  entirely  on  contemporary  documents,  includ- 
ing many  unpublished  letters  and  journals  of  the  chief  exi)lorers, 
which,  for  the  first  time,  place  in  a  clear  light  one  of  the  most 
interesting  and  striking  portions  of  American  history.  This 
edition  is  revised  throughout,  and  in  part  rewritten  with  large 
additions.  A  map  of  the  country  traversed  by  the  explorers  is 
also  added.  The  name  of  La  Salle  is  placed  upon  the  titlepage, 
as  seems  to  be  demanded  by  his  increased  prominence  in  the 
narrative  of  which  he  is  the  central  figure. 

George  W.  Curtis. 

"  A  subject  which  Mr.  Parkman  has  made  as  much  his  own  as 
Motley  the  Dutch  Republic,  or  Macaulay  the  English  Revolution. 
He  is  thorough  master  of  his  material,  which  is  much  scattered, 
and  exists  largely  in  manuscript;  and  his  imagination,  his  pictur- 
esque narrative  style,  and  his  admirable  perception  of  the  true 
point  of  interest,  give  to  his  historical  works  a  wonderful  charm 
and  symmetry.  It  is  to  the  pages  of  Mr.  Parkman  that  we  must 
go  for  the  American  Indian.  Cooper  so  bewitches  our  young 
fancies  with  Uncas  and  the  red  heroes  that  it  is  very  difficult  to 
divest  our  estimate  of  the  Indian  of  a  false  and  foolish  glamour. 
Mr.  Parkman,  however,  knows  him  by  personal  experience  and 
long  and  thoughtful  study." 

Nation. 

"  The  woi'k  has  been  thoroughly  revised,  with  the  conscientious- 
ness of  a  stylist  as  well  as  of  an  historian.  So  far  as  regards  its 
hero,  this  admirable  work  of  Mr.  Parkman's  seems  likely  to  be 
undisturbed  by  future  revelations." 

(7) 


New  York  Tribune. 

"  The  present  volume,  which  has  attained  the  rank  of  a  classic 
in  the  library  of  American  history,  will  be  eagerly  welcomed  by  a 
large  class  of  general  readers." 


Mr. 


Toronto  Daily  Olobe. 

Parkman  has  long  since  won  a  high  reputation  for  the 


vigor  and  incisive  brilliancy  of  his  style,  and  nowhere  is  he  seen  to 
better  advantage  than  in  the  glowing  pages  of  the  volume  before 
us.  With  such  a  work  in  the  market,  at  a  moderate  price,  no 
reader  has  any  excuse  if  he  remain  ignorant  of  the  facts  relating 
to  one  of  the  most  fascinating  periods  in  American  history." 


THE  OLD  REGIME  IN  CANADA  UNDEB  LOUIS  XIV. 
8vo.   Cloth,  $2.50;  half  calf,  $4.50. 

The  Literary  "World. 

•'The  author  here  presents  the  results  of  his  researches  into 
the  early  history  of  Canada  under  French  rule,  including  in  his 
view  the  century  bounded  by  1G53  and  1753.  He  has  had  access 
to  a  mass  of  State  papers  in  the  archives  of  France  which  have 
never  before  been  drawn  upon,  and  with  the  material  thus  derived 
has  wrought  an  historical  fabric  at  once  substantial  and  fascinat- 
ing. The  influences  which  controlled  the  colony  in  its  beginning, 
and  during  its  first  century  of  life,  —  the  Roman  Catholic  mission 
spirit,  and  the  mon'^rchical  ambition  of  Louis  XIV.,  —  are  delin- 
eated in  character  and  operation  with  remarkable  skill;  and  the 
extracts  from  the  voluminous  official  correspondence  maintained 
between  France  and  Canada  lend  a  singular  and  delightful 
piquancy  to  the  narrative. 

"In  this  volume  Mr.  Parkman  details  intelligently  and  in  a 
symmetrical  and  impressive  nar-  ative  the  efforts  of  French  Mon- 
archy and  the  Church  of  Rome  to  grasp  the  Continent  of  North 
America.  lie  has  chosen  a  peculiar  but  very  effective  method  to 
this  end.  Instead  of  discoursing  at  length  of  state-craft  and 
church-craft,  and  overwhelming  the  reader  with  dry  documents 
and  historical  lore,  he  invites  him  to  look  upon  a  series  of  scenes 
v,  ;,  viy  lifo  of  Canada,  in  which  that  life  is  set  forth  with 

-»  fhv  «  vividness  and  realism.  But  in  him  the  historian 
,,.  -<,.•    .    v.r.y;s  the  painter;  and,  amid  the  fascination  of  these 

(8) 


pictures,  he  never  loses  sight  of   the  two  forces  the  history  of 
whose  operation  is  the  history  of  Canada, -the  spirit  o    In 
archy,  and  the  spirit  of  Roman  Catholic  missions.- 

COUNT  FBONTENAC  AND  NEW  FEANCE  UNDEB  lOUIS  XIV. 

8vo.   Cloth,  $2.50;  half  ealf,  $4.50. 

New  York  Evening  Post 

"  If  we  value  romance,  it  is  here  in  greater  abundance  than  in 
any  work  of  imagination;  if  we  seek  for  stories  of  adventure  and 
deeds  of  darmg,  W3  have  them  here  on  an  heroic  scale;  if  we 
indu  ge  the  modern  taste  for  the  analysis  of  character  and  motive 
this  rue  story  furnishes  richer  materials  for  such  study  than  anv 
novelist  can  possibly  command." 

Providence  Press. 

-What  magic  hides  itself  in  the  brain  and  pen  of  Mr.  Parkman 
that  he  makes  this  rugged  and  ragged  growth  of  the  French  occu- 
pancy of  Canada  so  pregnant  with  life  and  interest  to  the  reader  v 
It  reads  hke  romance,  but  romance  of  a  high  order.  You  do  not 
wish  to  lay  the  book  aside  even  temporarily  until  you  have  read 
every  word  of  it."  •  ^  icau 

MONTCALM  AND  WOLFE.   (Eecently  Published.) 
Two  vols.      8vo.       Cloth,  $5.00;     half  calf,  $9.00. 


THE  CONSPIRACY  OF  PONHAC,  AND  THE  INDIAN  WAE  AFTER 
THE  CONQUEST  OF  CANADA.  ™^ 

Two  vols.    8vo.   Cloth,  $6.00;  half  calf,  $9.00. 

Westminster  Review. 

"An  admirable  production.     Combining  thoroughness  of  re- 
earch   with   a  picturesque  beauty  of   expression,   it  presents  a 

The  Nation. 

col^r  f'.'^;"^^^'^  'Conspiracy  of  Pontiac'  takes  rank,  among 
competen  judges,  as  the  most  satisfactory  historical  monograph 
that  our  literature  has  produced." 

(9) 


Professor  John  Fiske,  in  Harper's  Magazine. 

"  One  of  the  most  brilliant  and  fascinating  books  that  has  ever 
been  written  by  any  historian  since  the  days  of  Herodotus." 


THE  OBEOON  TBAIL.  -  SKETCHES   OF   PBAIBIE  AND  BOCKT 

MOUNTAIN  LIFE. 

8vo.   Cloth,  $2.60 ;  half  calf,  $4.50. 

Atlantic  Monthly. 

"  The  sketches  of  which  this  volume  is  made  up  were  originally 
published  in  1847.  They  comprise  a  record  of  the  summer  adven- 
tures of  two  young  men  just  out  of  college,  and  preserve  the 
features  of  a  .state  of  nature  and  society  which  has  vanished 
forever.  No  more  graphic  pictures  of  life  on  the  frontier  and 
in  the  wilderness  thirty  years  ago  have  ever  been  drawn. 

"  For  tiie  present,  we  must  only  praise  this  delightful  book  for 
its  absolute  good  qualities,  for  the  unfailing  interest  of  the  narra- 
tive, for  the  vivid  pictures  of  such  Indian  life  as  rarely  reveals 
itself  to  white  men,  for  all  its  stories  of  the  hunt  and  march  and 
camp,  for  the  calm  observation  brought  to  all  these  wide  scenes 
and  primitive  personalities." 


(10) 


A  NEW  POPULAE  EDITION 


OF 


PARKMAN'S   WORKS. 


Eight  vols.   l2mo.   In  a  very  attractive  style  of 

calf,  $24.00. 


cloth,  $12.00 ;  half 


2  vols. 


THE  CONSPIRACY  OF  PONTIAC 

THE  OREGON  TRAIL. 

PIONEERS  OF  FRANCE  IN  THE  NEW  WORLD 

THE  JESUITS  IN  NORTH  AMERICA 

THe'oid\ZJ"'  '''''''^'''^  ""'  "^^  <^^^^AT  WEST. 
IHL  OLD  REGIME   IN  CANAD\ 

COUNT  FRONTENAC  AND  NEW  FRANCE. 

The  Nation. 

library.     Thel  is  Tot'  H.'r^^  v„,  I'T  ^'f' "  ""'"■^''  '°'-  ""^ 
novel,  and  everyone  of  thl  I  i  t  ,     ''°'''  '""  ''^'^  """^  » 

the  subject  o£  whlh  it  trel."      ™'  "  ""  '''^''^''  '"'">°"'^  »» 

Toronto  Mail. 

01) 


ashamed  to  place  on  his  table  or  in  his  book-case,  or  need  fear  will 
hurt  his  eyes  in  perusal,  while  it  will  hurt  his  pocket  little  in 
acquisition,  and  form  a  capital  Christmas  present." 

Chicago  Bookseller. 

"  No  writer  on  American  history  in  general,  or  on  any  of  its 
periods,  has  achieved  so  wide  a  success  as  lias  Mr.  Parkman,  in  his 
narrative  of  '  France  and  England  in  America.'  He  has  proved 
himself  the  Macaulay  of  the  New  World." 

Literary  World. 

'*  One  of  the  most  fascinating  courses  of  historical  reading  in 
the  English  language." 


PUBLISHED   BY 


LITTLE,  BROWN,  AND  COMPANY, 

BOSTON,  MASS. 


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